One Last Chance
by SpiralSigil
Summary: When a young man trying to escape his past flees the hustle and bustle of city life to start anew within the small community of Pelican Town, will he truly be able to make amends for past misdeeds, or will the ghosts of his actions forever ruin his last chance at a happy life? Storyline of Stardew Valley with some twists; pairing undecided as of yet! Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1: To The Valley

**Chapter 1: To The Valley**

 _'Everything will be alright.'_

Not for the first time did Asher Koll tell himself that, and as he looked despairingly out the window, watching as the city fell away into the lush, wild countryside, he knew it wouldn't be the last. The bus trudged forward, it's pace quicker now having reached it's last stop within the city limits, and at long last did the young man breath a sigh of relief. _'If they haven't come by now, they're not going to.'_ Gently, he pulled the glasses from his face and wiped them mindfully upon his shirt to clear them; he'd left in such a stark hurry that he'd barely allowed himself anytime to pack. Indeed save for the clothes on his back, and the small duffle beneath his leathery seat, everything else had been left behind.

Forgotten, like he hoped to be.

It didn't matter; nothing did now. Again, his gaze fell to the window, and he allowed himself a small smile as the last of the tall, imposing buildings behind him vanished from his view. Beside him, his fellow passengers did their best to to occupy themselves; the couple in the seats nearest him busily chatted away. Only once had they tried to stir him into conversation, but a kind shrug he had all but refused them – He wasn't here to make friends.

He was here to get away.

 _'Will it even be that easy?'_ He wondered, _'Starting over, just like that?'_ Sure, he had a plan – Even a place to start. His grandfather, God rest him, had left Asher some land in his passing, and asked only that the young man claim it as his own once he had tired of the hustle and bustle of the city. At the time, Asher had only scoffed at the letter – Though he had loved his grandfather dearly, the mere idea that he would ever be ready to do such a thing was laughable at best. His life was good; a great job, a beautiful fiance who adored him, and enough money to live comfortably.

Then the incident happened, and all of that had been swept away. Now, life on a farm seemed like a dream – Or at least an escape from the nightmare.

He shuddered at the memory, and quickly pushed it from his mind. Again, he found himself looking out at the road, looking for cars that simply weren't there. For a moment, his thoughts of panic and dread threatened to overtake him, but just as quickly he suppressed those as well; now was not the time to freak out. The less attention he drew to himself, the better.

Asher looked down at himself; grimacing. Pelican Town was supposed to be small, almost isolated, and a tight-knit community from what little he had gleamed at the bus station – It would make for a good hideaway if he could learn to blend in; but what if he couldn't? The land he'd inherited was meant for farming; something he hadn't had a hand in since his boyhood. He remembered so little, and once he'd arrived it would be all upon his shoulders.

 _'Don't fuck it up.'_ His mind said coldly, _'It's this or...'_ Asher looked down at his bag, thinking quickly of the contents within.

He shuddered; why did he bring that anyway?

 _'You know why.'_ He thought to himself, trying to will the thoughts away by gazing out into the pastures again; outside the world had given itself away to nature in full. Spring was just beginning and the lush green of the season was everywhere he looked. It was almost relaxing – Almost. _'Because you're a coward – Because you might need a way out.'_

He knew it was true, but a lie all the same.

"Pelican Town!" Called the driver, "Coming up in ten!" Asher snapped to attention, looking first to the older woman behind the wheel, before glancing up ahead through the forward window. A tunnel was coming up on them, just down the road – And beyond that was his new home.

His new life.

He allowed himself a small look around the bus; no one else seemed interested in the destination, despite the crammed seats – Clearly theirs was a goal far beyond the small town. With a small sigh, he sat back against the flat of his seat and pulled the duffle up onto his lap – The sooner he got off the bus, the better.

A light rumble in his pocket suddenly caught the man's attention; Asher fished for his phone in the cramped space. He was lean, almost skinny, yet somehow these seats never felt smaller to him – The worst kind of travel. He had a message; Asher looked to his side. The couple continued their conversation, content to ignore him; it was enough to get him to check the text.

'At the stop.' It said simply; the text was signed Robin. It took him a moment to realize who it was; when he had first decided to leave the city, he had called ahead to ensure the land was very much there – And actually _his_ , as promised. Sure enough, the mayor of Pelican Town – A man named Lewis – Had been quick to assure him of his inheritance, and welcomed him with open arms to the community. It was a relief to hear; it meant he didn't know anything. Lewis had agreed to meet him off the bus to show him to his new home – A strange thing for the mayor to fuss over, but something Asher was grateful for regardless.

The plan had changed however; apparently the cottage was in need of some work before it was at all livable – So a woman named Robin would be meeting him instead. Asher didn't mind the change; so long as they all remained ignorant of his reasons for moving, he would have taken just about anyone.

The bus came to a stop, prompting him to rise. Quickly, he slid the phone away and gently pushed passed the others, making for the door. The driver gave him a look, giving Asher some pause; he raised an eyebrow and stared back.

"Well?" She asked, seeming to expect something.

At once, Asher wondered if he had to tip – Was that customary out here in the sticks? He opened his mouth to ask, when she waved him off. "You're burnin' daylight sonny – Off you get!"

Without any further hesitation he hopped down off the bus, and watched quietly as the doors shut behind him. He turned, and sure enough, a smiling woman with orange-red hair was standing just to one side – She gave him only a cursory look before deciding he was the one. "Asher, right?" She asked.

He nodded. "That's right; I suppose that makes you Robin?" The smile seemed to brighten, if only slightly, and he allowed himself a quick look around. The stop was deeply entrenched in the nature of the place; tall trees sporting various leaves upon each were mere steps from the road itself. He saw bushes amassed with colorful berries all about him; even running alongside a fence that gave way to a well-worn path. Asher stopped short and stared as the Bus drove off behind him, for barely obscured by a few dangling branches was... Was that a mine cart? Here? He craned his neck, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him; it wasn't unheard of, but in his mind he'd always pictured such a thing deep inside a cave – Not out in the open for anyone to tinker with.

Then again, it looked in dire need of repair.

"You like what you see?" Robin's voice brought him back to reality, and Asher flushed with some embarrassment.

"I... Uhh..." He thumbed over his shoulder, suddenly awkward about losing himself before her like that. "I'm just not used to all of this – This green, I guess. It's not like this in the city, you know?" She gave a nod of some understanding; he made a face. "Is that a mine cart?"

A small chuckle escaped her, and Robin waved him off, "Yes, but you can't go for any joyrides if that's what you're thinking – The thing hasn't worked in... Well, a few years at least!" She shrugged almost casually and nodded towards the dirt-swept road, "Come on, let's go get you settled."

Quickly, he followed after her, stepping up to keep pace as she led on. He considered for only a moment to keeping silent and letting her talk if she so chose – But somehow that struck him as suspicious. A new person would have questions; he needed to play the part if he was to blend in. "What do you do?"

Robin gave him a look; she had brilliantly bright eyes – Ones that made her whole face seem more expressive somehow. "I'm the town greeter." She told him plainly, "Welcome to Pelican Town. Shops over there. Don't pee in the river – Things like that." Her gaze never faltered, and Asher suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

"That's... Fulfilling?" He finally managed, after several seconds of struggled thinking.

Again, she laughed, but this time it was much more full. "Asher; don't be so naive! I'm a carpenter. Did you really think anyone would have such a silly job, even here?" The revelation brought a frown to his face, but he covered it with a shrug; he'd have to watch this one. "I can't believe you really believed that; I just made it up on the spot!"

"Well I didn't real-"

"We're here." She announced, as they neared the end of the trail. Asher nodded, content with the knowledge his embarrassment was at an end, and looked out upon the land that was now his own.

And grimaced.

"What in the..?" Were all the words he could manage. The place was a disaster! Weeds had risen up like an army before him, unkempt and massive no matter which way he looked. The grass reached up to his knees, and looked to get no better no matter which way he went. Trees of every kind, of every height and of every age were all around – Some had even fallen as though felled by the very elements themselves! He looked with dismay at the massive logs nearest him; even if he threw his whole body against them he doubted they would ever move.

Robin gave him a curious stare, "Something wrong?"

He almost didn't hear her; his eyes had wandered further – Were those boulders? Massive stony shapes jutted mockingly out of the ground around the trees and ruin, some looking as though they had lain undisturbed for decades. There were fissures as well, spread out across the land, filled with water and... _'That's garbage, isn't it?'_ He realized, giving only a cursory look to the lake nearest him before giving the notion a small, grim nod. _'Even if the water has seen better days...'_

Still, beggars couldn't be choosers.

"It's fine." He said, after taking only the smallest of breaths. "It's... bigger then I expected, that's all."

If Robin believed him, she showed no sign; instead she turned her attention to the monstrous growths all around them. "It's a bit messy, but there's good soil underneath it all. If you can get some of the overgrowth cleared away, you'll have yourself a nice place to farm." She gave him a sidelong glance and smirked devilishly. "Besides..." She punched him playfully in the arm, catching him by surprise, "You look like you could use the workout, skinny."

Any retort he had died on his tongue as he at last caught sight of the cottage. It was small and squat – Definitely not built for more then one – But it was just the same as his memories. In all the time since his childhood, his grandfather hadn't changed a thing about it; it was almost comforting, in a weird way. If nothing else, it looked in decent repair; though even from a distance he could make out a sizable hole upon the deck, the structure itself appeared sound. _'It's spring.'_ He reminded himself, _'If there's a problem you've got time to fix it before you freeze to death.'_

A small comfort indeed.

The door to the small cottage opened, and Asher watched as an older man with a mustache and a brown cap upon his head stepped out to greet them. He threw up an arm and waved as he approached, a beaming smile upon his face. "Ho there!" He called gleefully, all but bounding up towards them, hands on his suspenders as though fearful they might drop at any second. Asher couldn't help but struggle to suppress a smile; the man had to be well into his fifties but he seemed surprisingly spry. "You must be Asher; the new farmer!"

Even before he could manage a reply, Asher found his arm being pumped vigorously as the man shook his hand with gusto. "I'm Lewis; the mayor of Pelican Town! Welcome! You know, everyone's been asking about you ever since the word spread that we'd have a new resident!"

Though he initially felt content to let Lewis rattle off whatever greetings he wished, Asher now felt compelled to speak. "I – What?" He pulled back his arm, almost forcefully – Too quickly, he realized, and flashed the man an apologetic smile. "I mean, I'm sorry but... Did you say _everyone_? The whole town knows I'm here?" That was anything but good; he'd come here to keep a low profile and to start anew, and yet somehow he'd blown it before ever even arriving!

Robin gave him a curious look, "Are you really that surprised? It's not a very big town – People were going to notice a new face." Asher stood dumbfounded, unsure of how to respond; the woman quickly turned her attention to Lewis, "That aside, you really could have waited before announcing it, Lewis. Maybe Asher didn't want the attention thrown on him all at once."

 _'Or at all...'_ The new farmboy thought glumly.

"Pish posh!" Lewis waved a hand dismissively, as if their protests were so much hot air, "Our community thrives upon it's unity – It's for the best if our new friend here steps out of whatever shell he's in and becomes apart of it. That's what Vernan would've wanted as well, I'm sure."

At the mention of his grandfather, Asher felt he had lost whatever will to protest he might've had – Vernan Koll had indeed been a people-person. From what little he could remember of his days growing up here, Asher couldn't recall a single time where his grandfather hadn't made time for someone else, even at his own expense. He knew everyone's name, everyone's face, and was close with every single resident of the town – He was the most welcoming sort of man Asher had ever known, and everyone seemed to love him for it.

It was quite the legacy to live up to now, and not at all what Asher wanted for himself. He just wanted to be left alone.

Lewis gestured towards the cottage, "I've gone a spruced things up inside for you, and dropped off whatever essentials you might need to get yourself comfortable. Consider it my way of welcoming you to our town." He smiled up at the building, as though it were an old friend standing before him. "Being here brings back memories; it's nice. Very rustic, wouldn't you say my boy?"

Asher gave a small nod; he had a soft spot for this place, but even that was being tried as his plans were readily falling away. Already he was reconsidering his options, but each and everyone seemed worse then the last. _'Make the most of it.'_ He told himself again, _'You can't go back – Not now. Not ever.'_

There wasn't anything for him there anyway.

"Rustic?" Robin managed a snort of some derision, "More like crusty!"

Lewis shot her a cold look; his face reddened some and he seemed on the verge of shouting over Asher just to get to Robin – When all at once his composure returned. He took a breath, thumbed his suspenders once more and looked back at the ramshackle house. "Don't listen to her Asher; she's just trying to make you dissatisfied so you'll get her to upgrade the place; more money in her pocket, after all!" He huffed and shook his head.

Asher gave her a look; Robin smiled guiltily and shrugged. "Tomorrow." Lewis went on, "You oughta come into town and have a look around – I'm sure everyone is eager to meet you, Asher." So saying, he turned and started off down the road. Asher watched, realizing that, just beyond where the bus had dropped him off, he could already make out the buildings of Pelican Town – It was barely any walk at all! Much closer then he remembered, at any rate. "Oh, by the by." The mayor turned back and indicated a large crate nearest the household. He gave the lid a firm pat with on hand. "While you're out here, if you ever feel like there's things you don't need leave them in this box and I'll haul them off each night for you."

Asher blinked in surprise, before turning to Robin. "That doesn't sound like a mayor's kind of job."

The woman narrowed her gaze, frowning, "He means he'll get _someone_ out here to do it."

Lewis coughed into his hand, clearly perturbed at being ignored so directly, "As I was saying... If there's any money to be made, I'll be sure to deliver it to you at once. I had this arrangement for Vernan as he was getting on in years and now it's just sort of a routine now – Sound fair?"

Asher nodded, suddenly grateful to the man. It was clear to him that Lewis had really cared for his grandfather, and whatever the man's shortcomings might turn out to be, that spoke a great deal for his character. If nothing else, he could be counted on – Asher only hoped it wouldn't come to thank. He offered the older man a soft smile. "Thank you – Really. I appreciate it." He felt a rumble in his pocket, signifying another message, and willed himself to ignore it – For now, at any rate.

Satisfied, Lewis offered him one final nod of his head and took off down the road towards the town. Robin too, decided to take her leave and gave the young man one final wave before following after him. It was clear to Asher there seemed some annoyance, if not animosity between the two, but at the very least they could be civil about it – It was more then he could say for most people back in the city. He watched until the pair had vanished from sight before finally climbing the wooden steps and heading inside.

The door was unlocked; Asher frowned. "Gonna need a key..." He turned and flicked on the light before surveying the room. It was much the same as how he remembered, with only the smallest of differences. A single room, with all the amenities within save the bathroom – Just off to one side and mercifully closed off from the living space. The bed in the corner looked new, as did the television set upon the floor – He didn't recall his grandfather owning such a thing, yet it seemed unlikely Lewis would have considered such a thing a necessity – Maybe Vernan had changed some as he aged?

To his surprise, Asher found a single iron key upon the otherwise bare table beside the appliance. Dropping his duffle upon the floor, he approached and quickly scooped it up. Asher looked it over once before moving to try it on the door – And smiled once he discovered its use; at least Lewis wasn't incompetent. Moreover, as he scanned the room even further, he noted a variety of tools laid purposely against the far wall – All essentials to the hand of a farmboy. "I guess that's what he meant."

He strode closer and looked over each in turn, trying to recall their uses. A hoe for tilling the soil, a pick for unearthing or breaking rocks, and axe for clearing away and harvesting wood, and a watering can on the floor beside them all. Asher thought of all the grass just beyond his doorstep; he'd need something to deal with that as well, and soon. For now, however, he thought of the phone in his pocket, and quickly snatched up the hoe from it's spot on the wall. He plucked free the device and looked it over.

The message icon blinked tantalizingly at him, begging to be opened; Asher ignored it and made for the door.

Night was already beginning to fall as he once more descended the stairs; where did the time go? "Seems like I just got here... Guess I should learn to make the most of my days here." He muttered, walking around the cottage and looking up at it from another angle. Strange; he didn't remember the building lacking windows – But there were none to be seen. 'It was so long ago... And now I'm back after all this time...' He rounded the cottage, stopping behind it and leaning with a sigh against the back wall. Again he looked at the phone in his hand, and stared unblinking at the flashing icon.

Then, all at once, he dropped it to the ground, raised the hoe and slammed the metal down atop the device, crushing it beneath the force. With a grimace, he turned slightly and dug the tool into the ground, pulling it back deep enough to make a hole. "No more mistakes." He assured himself, as he kicked the remains of the shattered phone into the hole and began to cover it over anew. "Just keep to yourself. Don't get involved. Stay focused." Another sigh, a shudder, and the hoe slipped from his fingers. He struggled to catch it before the tool clattered against the dirty ground and Asher sunk to his knees, holding his head. "I can do this... I can do this..."  
But no matter how many times he said it, it didn't stop the tears from coming.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: Welp, that's it for chapter 1! Hopefully you all enjoyed it ^^; I'll admit I was SUPER hesitant about trying my hand at anything Stardew, but after reading through a few other fics, I figured why not? I didn't want to make just another standard OC that everyone was going to love right away - I'm trying for a bit more mystery and intrigue with this guy if at all possible, and hopefully Asher comes off that way to you all in the end. Stay tuned for more and let me know if this is something you'd like to see more of!**


	2. Chapter 2: Brand New Day

**Chapter 2: Brand New Day**

The night had been anything but peaceful. Try all he could, Asher had found himself ever at odds with the small, ramshackle hut – He simply wasn't accustomed to the noises of the wildlife outside. Crickets chirped, frogs croaked and someone – He wasn't sure who – Owned cows.

Cows that were close and not shy about mooing the night away.

 _'Get used to it.'_ He told himself, as he pulled himself sleepily from his bed and glaring angrily at the clock beside him. It was one of the few appliances he'd thought to pack; though the blinking digits that told him of the early morning looked anything but enticing. _'I'll probably have cows at some point; best to get used to it now.'_

He was used to noise – The city was full of it. Yelling, traffic and the sound of industrial work at all hours of the night; those he was acclimated to, and had been for years. Now that they were gone, it was as though he'd left a part of himself behind – One that would take some time to get used to. He reached for his jeans, left discarded upon the floor after his nighttime task and to his surprise found them not at all where he'd left them. "Wha..?" Asher wiped the sleep from his eyes and looked about the room. His jeans were gone – And his other clothing along with it.

"Well... Shit." His first night here and he'd been robbed already? Pelican Town wasn't off to a good start – Thankfully he'd thought enough to pack a few spares, but this still rubbed him the wrong way. "Who the hell steals clothes anyw-" His words stopped short as he spied the errant articles across the room – Folded neatly upon the table.

Asher froze, suddenly aware that he might not fully be alone. Slowly, he eased himself towards the table nearest his bed and reached for the drawer. Before bed he had unpacked his meager belongings, and one such item lay within – One that might well help him now against a wayward intruder. He stilled, considering the ramifications of it all, before shaking his head and turning away.

Not again – Never again.

Instead, he scoured the room; if someone else was here, there wasn't anywhere to hide save the bathroom – And nothing else looked disturbed that he could see. With as much paitence as he could muster, Asher crept towards the bathroom and, after listening for a moment at the door, threw it open and sprang inside. "Ah ha!"

Whatever it was, it wasn't human – And it was gone before he could reach the lights. Only out of the corner of his eyes did the new farmboy see anything at all. It had fled too quickly, leaving him to wonder if, truly, there had ever been anything at all. "Rats?" He wondered aloud, scratching at his head. He'd had to deal with exterminators back in the city; the little devils were a nightmare to get rid of.

Returning to the main room he turned his attention to the clothing – Not only had they been carefully and meticulously folded, but also cleaned and pressed as well. He lifted the shirt; it even _smelled_ clean! "Not rats." But then who? A too-friendly neighbor, eager to make his acquaintance, or was this still more of Lewis' hospitality?

If it was, the old man had crossed more then a few lines.

Unable to come to an answer, Asher dressed himself and looked again to the clock; somehow his little venture had wasted nearly half an hour already, and the day was anything but young for a farmer. He reached for his bag, snagging out one of the energy bars he'd brought along. The cottage lacked a kitchen – He would _have_ to go into town at some point.

But for now that could wait; he had enough sleep and food in him to make some manner of dent in the titan of work awaiting him outside. Armed with the axe and the hoe, he made for the door. "If you're still in here somehow..." He said to the household, "Make yourselves scare before I come back."

Naturally, the cottage was mute in reply, and he trudged solemnly outside.

A neatly wrapped present awaited him on the deck – One that he nearly tripped over before spotting. The tag bore his name, prompting him to lift it up for closer inspection. _'Huh.'_ Maybe it _was_ a neighbor after all! He looked around, but with no one in sight, he remained just as clueless as ever. Curious, Asher quickly unwrapped it, walking down towards Lewis' deposit crate as he did. He wasn't here for charity – Whatever it was, the town could have back. But as he went to dump the contents, a note within caught his eye.

"To get you started." He read aloud; the writing was small and cramped, yet neat all the same. He had little trouble reading it. "Welcome to our town. Lewis." Beside it was a small packet showing what he faintly remembered was a parsnip upon the front – A packet that rattled gently as he lifted it. "Huh. Alright then."

Charity was one thing; but this would actually be of use. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't grow anything out of thin air and dirt – He still needed seeds to get himself started, and now that answer had presented itself. Beside the crate was a trash can – One that Asher quickly rid himself of the garbage – And pocketed the packet of seeds, alongside the note. Eventually he would see Lewis, and then he could ask about the clothing.

It was a conversation he wasn't looking forward to.

Before him, the workload rose like a monster awaiting it's destined duel; Asher sighed anew – This was impossible! When he had made the decision to come here, he had expected some manner of farm awaiting him – Perhaps even one that he could've just picked up on along the way – But this? With a grimace, he approached the nearest log, crushed into the ground just a few feet from his steps, and raised the axe.

The first swing was easy – He was lanky, but not weak. The second came easier, and as the wood splintered and broke beneath him, Asher realized the chore didn't simply end at destroying the wreckage, but at carefully collecting and disposing of the remains. He turned, spying a woodshed open just beside his door and nodded quietly; at least he had a plan.

Silently, he settled into his work; though mundane, the constant chopping and movement kept his mind from wandering too far – And probing into issues best left alone. It was grunt work, but sometimes a person needed that simply to get by, and as long as he wasn't thinking, Asher felt more like himself again.

Which made it all the more vexing when he heard the sound of footsteps not his own.

"Ho there!" Called Lewis' cheerful voice from down the road. Asher wiped at his forehead with a sweaty arm – A bad idea he quickly noticed – And looked back at him. "Hard at it already I see!"

"That's the job, isn't it?"

Lewis grinned wide, and gave the deck a knowing look. "You got my gift, I trust?"

Asher nodded in reply and opened his mouth to speak – Before stopping. He'd planned to ask Lewis about the morning oddity right away, but now that the man was here, he realized he hadn't the slightest _idea_ how to ask! A scowl crossed his face; one that he aimed at the ground. Lewis tilted his head to the side.

"What is it? Problem with the seeds?"

Quickly, Asher shook his head, and even held up the packet to showcase his gratitude. "Not at all! I just..." He looked towards the parsnip, as though the pictured vegetable held any secret answer for him. At once, a realization hit him. "You left it on the porch. I guess that means you didn't go inside?"

At that, the mayor frowned, and looked even more baffled than before. "My boy, I'm not sure what kind of place the city is, but no matter how close we might be out here we still respect each other enough to knock." A smile broke through, showing his jest and good nature had returned as well. "How was your first night?"

Embarrassed, and wanting little more then to move on from the events of the night, Asher only shrugged. "Different, but nice." He lied, "The air is better out here; makes it easy to sleep." Not a whole lie, but close enough.

Lewis took a seat on the steps, stretching out his arms before him. "Surprised to see you up and about so early. Would've figured you'd take it easy your first few days at least." He laughed; it was a warm and rich sound that seemed to carry upon the wind. "We have folks who've been here for years that still don't handle mornings well."

Asher turned back around – He'd nearly been through his twelfth log when the mayor had deigned to visit. He raised the axe, "I guess I'm just strange." He chopped once, twice. _'Rude, Asher; try again.'_ Another swing, and the wood splintered enough to readily move. "I mean, I remembered my grandfather always up at the crack of dawn; I figured I should do the same." He set the axe beside the hoe and reached for the wood. As he moved to stack it with the rest he caught the mayor nodding with agreement – And for the first time noticed a bag seated alongside him.

"What's that?"

The question caught them both off guard – Asher hadn't meant to ask so directly, but with how Lewis had treated him so far, he somehow knew it was something else for him. He could barely maintain a look of surprise when the mayor offered him the bag. "A few more supplies; I forgot this yesterday when I hurried over. The bag should serve you well too, since I didn't see you come here with a vehicle – At least you can carry some produce into town now."

 _'If I can get anything to actually grow here...'_ Thought Asher glumly as he fished open the bag and looked inside. His heart stopped; a leather-wrapped item curved up until it's wooden handle lay within, just waiting for him to reach for it. Quietly, he pulled it out, and gently let the bag fall by his feet. "What..?"

"It's not much, but until you can get Clint to make you a better one, that's a good bit of metal for trimming crops or getting rid of all the tall grass that's about." Lewis told him plainly, seemingly unaware of Asher's growing distress.

The farmboy lost himself in thought as he tightly grasped the handle. Gently, he undid the bindings upon the blade, and as the steel became unearthed the metal shone brightly in the morning sunlight.

 _'Don't do it!'_ A memory screamed – A woman's voice; one that used to mean everything.

 _'I'm sorry! I'm sorry!'_ Cried another; it was a voice that had been quickly silenced.

Asher took a staggered step back, nearly pitching off the deck until Lewis grabbed for him, and steadied him with a strong arm. "Whoa there!" His face was awash with concern, and with a worried shake he brought Asher back to reality. "You alright there son?"

At once, the memories receded, and the farmboy was left with little beyond a tired piece of metal, and one concerned old man. "I'm fine." He blurted out – Almost too quickly. Lewis looked doubtful, but Asher quickly wrapped the scythe anew and replaced it into the bag, "Really I... I guess I didn't get as much rest as I thought." His mind raced; everything was crumbling already! He had to think! "I... I'm also kind of hungry, so I guess I'm weak? I've been working all morning and... There's no kitchen here so..." He knew readily that the sweat upon his brow was no longer from the labor.

Thankfully, Lewis seemed eased by the admission, "Well then you're in luck – We've got a fine saloon and eatery just up the road! Why, I bet ol' Gus would be kind enough to whip you up a nice welcome meal if'n I asked him!" He gave Asher one final, reassuring pat and released him before stepping off the deck.

Asher dropped a sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding and looked angrily down upon the bag – As though the item within were solely at fault for all of this.

"Come along; let's get you fed."

The work around him still demanded his attention, but Asher realized the futility of trying to argue his case; if Lewis had it in his head the boy needed to eat to continue, then he had no hope to convince him otherwise. "Let me clean up; two minutes." The mayor granted him that, but his expression already warned that he would wait little longer.

Himself again, Asher swept himself from the deck, collecting his scattered tools from the ground and returning to place them inside. Even if the incident with this clothes hadn't been Lewis' doing, he didn't want to take any chances with would-be thieves. Yet as he opened the door to replace the tools, he saw a multitude of somethings scatter and run.

And he _heard_ something as well.

 _'Not rats.'_ He reminded himself, _'But then... What?'_ For now, Lewis was waiting – And it was likely his unknown roommates weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Asher carefully returned the tools and steeling himself, hung up the scythe beside them. The bag he slung over his shoulder and, with a wary look back into the room, he left and locked the door.

"A careful one." Lewis observed, watching as Asher approached, "That's what city living will do for you."

Confused, Asher could only grant the man a raised eyebrow of mock surprise. "People here don't lock their doors?"

They started on down the road, Lewis seemed almost to shrug. "On occasion. We don't have thieves here in Pelican Town, Asher; I wouldn't stand for it. We're like a family, see – You don't do that kind of thing to family."

 _'Depends on the family.'_ The farmboy thought glumly, trying to keep his mind on the task at hand. "You shouldn't tell people that."

"Eh?"

Asher thumbed over his shoulder, "The lock thing. I'm still new; even if they're trusting I doubt people would want someone like me knowing they keep their doors unlocked." Lewis scowled at him, and the boy quickly threw up his hands in defense. "I'm just saying!"

The anger gave way to a meager sigh, and the older man nodded his head in understanding. "Vernan always said I was too trusting, but then so was he. I got that from him you know." He gave Asher a cursory glance. "I think he talked about you once or twice or drinks; guess you two weren't close until the end there?"

In truth, Asher hadn't thought of his grandfather for years until the day he got the letter leaving him the farm – And indeed forgot the man again until the day he fled the city. Suddenly he felt guilty; was he just using his former guardian for his own selfish gain now? Asher made a face; surely not! He'd loved the man, but they were worlds apart – Vernan had always been a man of nature and strength – The kind that not only _could_ make his own way in the world, but _needed_ to.

Nothing like Asher; and now the new farmboy had to fake it until he believed the lie.

At once he realized the older man was still awaiting an answer. "It'd been a few years, I guess. I was busy with work and life and..." He stopped short and looked away; hoping that the suddenly silence would deter Lewis from probing further.

The man failed to take the hint. "What kind of work?"

Asher looked on ahead; the town was unfolding all around him. He spied a doctor's office beside a general store, neatly surrounded by a carefully swept stone street, and nature seeming to decorate it all. A stonework building lay further down the road, with a half-tipped mug of ale painted painstakingly upon the side – Surely the saloon they sought – And further on, Asher all but swore he saw a familiar sort of structure. "Joja." He finally answered, grimacing. "I worked for Joja Mart for awhile."

The name seemed almost to sour the mayor, but he quickly hid his distaste. He pointed on up ahead, towards where Asher had already been looking, "We've got one of those out here, actually. I'm... I'm not the strongest supporter of their ilk, but the money they pay keeps the town afloat. In truth I'm not sure we could..." He stopped, seeming almost to remember something before waving away the thought. "But that's all by the by; I just remembered I have a few errands to attend to."

The admission caught Asher off guard, "Errands?" He couldn't help but ask.

Lewis was already walking away, but he turned to indicate the saloon. "That's right, but I'll be around later! Head on inside and look for Gus; his cooking is the tops!" So saying, he disappeared into the general store without another word.

Alone, the farmboy stood dumbfounded in the town square, awkwardly looking around. The streets felt deserted, yet he could swear he felt eyes upon him; he wanted to look but forced himself to stay still. 'I could go home.' He realized, 'Lewis is gone – I don't have to stay in town. I can just go back, ignore all of this and-'

A rumble from his stomach silenced any further notions of retreat. The energy bar he'd had was anything but satisfying, and the mere notion of trying to work on an empty stomach threatened now to be his undoing. Resolved, he turned on his heel -

And slammed bodily into someone behind him.

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wasn't planning on having another chapter done so quickly, but I had an idea I wanted to run with and I felt it best not to delay - Lest I lose it from waiting .o Slightly more of Asher's horrid backstory will be revealed as we go on - Ideally I'd like to try to sprinkle it in every chapter or two so it doesn't feel tacked on - And thankfully I'll be able to start introducing more beloved Stardew folks as early as the next chapter! :D**


	3. Chapter 3: Fresh Faces, Fresh Food

**Chapter 3: Fresh Faces, Fresh Food**

"I'm sorry!" Asher cried out, somehow in unison with the woman before him. They hit the ground in tandem, Asher falling flat on his back while the woman landing hard on her bottom. The farmboy groaned, bitter about this newest distraction; maybe he _should_ have just gone home after all! His vision swam with a momentary dizzy spell; everything looked blurry.

"Oh my goodness!" The woman cried, clearly aghast at playing her part in the mishap. Her was faster to her feet, and already standing over him by the time his vision returned in full. Her bright green eyes were wide with concern, with lips pursed with worry to match. She held out a hand, offering to help him rise – It was a gesture he took before he knew any better. "I'm so sorry!" She said again, stopping only long enough to retrieve an item from the ground. Asher looked; it was a book. A big one.

The farmer offered only a simple shrug, "My fault, I'm sure. I wasn't watching." He took a moment to look her over; she had a quiet elegance about her – A look he found almost immediately endearing. Her hair, a light reddish hue, gently settled just above her shoulders, ending in a slight curl. She was dressed plainly; a simple sunflower yellow blouse with a burgundy skirt to match – Clearly she was dressed for the season. At once he realized he was staring and quickly turned to look away, "I hate it when people don't watch where they're going, so naturally I'd be the worst about it..." He tugged at his neck, suddenly put off.

She was quick to disagree, however, as she shook her head. "No, no, it was all me; I was so wrapped up in my reading that I wasn't... You're not hurt, are you?" She looked him up and down and sighed, "I'm really sorry."

"It's fine." He meant it; a small bump was nothing to get angry over, and he certainly didn't feel any worse for wear. Instead, he gazed down at the book clutched in her arms. "Good book, I guess? What is it?"

The question took her by surprise. "Oh!" The frown gave way to a bright smile as she held her prize almost triumphantly before her; Asher looked curiously at the cover, which showcased a woman standing almost longingly before a train, with a determined look upon her face. "It's called " _One Last Chance_ ". It's about a woman on the run from her past so she flees to a new place in hopes of starting over." The farmboy blinked once, twice, and looked from the book to her. The woman's smile brightened all the more; it was enough to get him to smile back. "It's really interesting, especially when the twists and turns start happening."

"It's not easy to make a new start, I guess?" He kicked himself mentally; why did he ask that?

But the woman nodded eagerly, excited to tell all the more. "Oh definitely! See, all the bad stuff she was running from starts to catch up to her, only you're not sure if it's really happening, or if she's just losing her grip on reality and – Hey." She stopped short. "You're that new farmer, aren't you?"

A small chuckle escaped him; it felt so strange that she had only thought to ask _now_. "That's right. I just arrived." He offered a hand before realizing that, during the fall, he'd scuffed up his hands. Asher looked down at himself; though his clothes had been clean and pressed only hours before, the work since had wrecked havoc upon them – He wasn't used to this. Not at all. He wiped his hand on his side before trying again. "Asher."

"Penny." She returned, accepting the gesture and offering him a smile. "Lewis said there'd be someone new around here soon – I'm glad you're not some..." She bit her lip, suddenly embarrassed; a creeping blush enveloped her face.

"Some weirdo?" He offered. She nodded, quite ashamed of herself. He opened his mouth to speak further, when a low, almost guttural sound escaped his stomach, catching them both unaware. Asher all but jumped in surprise, causing the girl to hide a laugh behind her hand.

"Sounds like I'm keeping you from lunch. I guess you were headed to the saloon?"

Embarrassed for himself now, Asher only nodded sheepishly. Penny indicated the door, just a few steps away, "Don't let me keep you; it's not good to skip meals." She glanced down at the watch upon her wrist; it was a simple piece, but made the farmer realize that he lacked even such a simple tool to help him track the day anymore. His phone had always served for such a purpose before – Now that was gone. "I'm running late anyway. Maybe I'll see you around town sometime?"

Asher stopped himself, pondering his words carefully before blurting out the wrong thing. Penny seemed nice, and she was definitely easy on the eyes – But he wasn't here for any of that. It was in his best interest to avoid these people as much as possible; he was already taking too many risks. Had he had more time to plan he'd have made some manner of alias before moving here, but time – And more importantly the deed to the farm – Had demanded otherwise. He couldn't claim Vernan's land with a fake name, but likewise it made him easier to track. "Maybe. The farm is... Kind of a mess." He thought quickly, "It'll take a lot of work."

Penny nodded in understanding. "I can't even imagine, but at least you'll feel accomplished when it's all said and done, right?" He hadn't considered that – But it made some sense. "Anyway, I hope you have a good lunch." She turned, and started off down the street. Asher moved to continue when he heard her speak anew. "Oh, do you know what you're having?"

Confused, the farmer only turned. "What?"

"For lunch." Penny indicated the saloon, "You're new here so... Any thoughts?"

In truth, he hadn't the foggiest; it was a good question. He was somewhat picky, and set in his ways; what if this Gus couldn't accommodate? As hungry as he was, he wasn't sure he was too ready for a change in diet just yet. "Try the fish tacos." Penny offered with a bright, innocent smile. "They're Gus' specialty."

"Fish... In a taco?" That was a thing? Was that common?

With a nod, Penny offered him one final wave before taking her leave. Asher stood watching for only a moment longer and, now certain she wouldn't have anything else for him, finally turned and approached the door.

He stood staring, unsure of what to do. Back in the city, he had never been one for bars, or clubs – Or really anything that could be described as nightlife – And gone out of his way to avoid it all. Waste of money; waste of time. Was he supposed to knock, or just go in? What was considered the norm here in Pelican Town anyway? _'Damn Lewis...'_ He thought bitterly, _'This was his idea in the first place!'_ Fighting with uncertainty, Asher quickly realized how foolish he surely looked standing outside the door – And knocked hard upon the wooden surface before him.

There was a long pause, before a voice from within called out. "Was that knock? Doors open!" The question pained him; he'd chosen poorly. Asher grimaced and took a breath, before pushing his way inside. The saloon was a quaint sort of thing; like he had seen a dozen times in older movies, right down to the jukebox in the corner. A long counter stretched from one end of the room to the others, with stools to match and smaller tables for those not eager for the company of the lone barkeep. A larger man stood behind it, wiping a glass as he watched the newcomer approached. He was a large man, a little rounded, and definitely his senior – But with a wide, innocent smile that made him feel welcome even despite his mounting concerns. "So you're the new boy!"

"Asher." This routine was already wearing on him, and it was only day two. "I guess you're Gus? Lewis mentioned you." The man nodded happily and gestured to the scenery around them. From the jukebox Asher noticed an almost quiet, happy tune playing steadily in the background – The volume was low enough to make in nonabrasive, and he found himself appreciating it all the more, if only for that.

"That I am; welcome to the Saloon. This here is my place, so as long as you're within these walls, you're in my care." He spied the glass in his hands and, after nodding his silent approval, gently placed it behind the counter, slapping the towel over his shoulder. Somehow, it still looked clean; Gus kept a tight ship. "So what can I get for you? Food, drink, or both?"

Asher guessed that he meant alcohol – Which was anything but his taste – And cast about for a menu of sorts. When he didn't see one, and Gus only repeated the question, he thought back to Penny's earlier suggestion. "I hear you make tacos." He tried, still befuddled by it all, "Out of fish?"

All but beaming, Gus wiggled his fingers in excitement, "You have heard right! Why, they're my specialty!" With renewed vigor, he hurriedly began to run about the counter space, collecting a few odds and ends, before making for the door behind him – Surely a kitchen. He stopped just shy of going inside, "You got a preference?"

Preference? Asher tilted his head before he caught the meaning – Gus meant simply; _what fish?_ "I kind of thought they were a beef only thing so..." He didn't know anything about fish! What was he supposed to say?! "Surprise me." Mentally, he kicked himself anew; he was going to starve for sure! Gus, however, seemed only to grow more excited; clearly this was among his favorite dishes to cook – It was little mystery why he'd deemed it such a specialty.

Still, he was alone now, at least for the moment. Asher thought of the farm – Of the work he was already neglecting – And of the bigger picture behind it all. This would be his new life, and he had to try his damnedest to make it worthwhile. There was still so much of him back in the city, and though deep down he still longed for it, it was better off staying there – Far away from him. He quivered in his stool; a ping of fear overcame him, threatening to spiral him into a panic.

 _'Stop it!'_ His mind rallied against the sensation, _'Nobody knows! Not one damn person here knows – So stop thinking about it!'_ If they were going to come after him they'd have already done it – He was safe here. Forgotten.

He hoped.

The door to the kitchen opened from beyond and Gus returned with a plate brimming with delicious smells. Asher all but watered at the mouth, finally able to grasp the depths of his own hunger as the dish was placed before him. Gus took his wide-eyed silence as praise and nodded his approval; though they looked much like kinds the farmboy had eaten in the city, he could tell the shells before him had been perfectly seasoned, for they oozed with aromas enticing even to his choosy senses. "Enjoy."

He dug in without delay; the first bite failing even to satisfy – And it wasn't until he was through the first and hungrily eyeing the second did all the tastes fall into place. "How is it?" The man asked, eagerly awaiting what could only be praise.

"Mmmph goonf!"

A small laugh, and Gus handed him a napkin from behind the bar, which the farmer awkwardly used upon his messy face – Somehow he'd never quite grasped how to eat without making a mess, no matter the dish. "It's really good!" He tried again, before taking another bite and nearly tearing through the last half of his meal. The barkeep nodded approvingly and returned to the kitchen as a grim realization set in; how much was this going to cost him?

He had money, but not much – And quite a bit had been spent on the last second bus trip. Only weeks ago he had more then he knew what to do with, but much of it had been sucked away by lawyers... And _her_.

The thought soured him on the food, and it wasn't until Gus returned with a tall glass of water that he snapped from his stupor. He took a drink and indicated the plate, "How... How much is this, anyway? I forgot to ask."

With a wary eye, Gus leaned on the counter, drawing creepily close to his face. "Lemme ask you somethin'."

Asher wanted to draw away, but any movement towards the door might cause the man to grab for him – And the farmer didn't want to get within range of those burly arms. "Yeah..?"

Nodding towards the door – No, back in the direction of his farm, rather. "You're stickin' around here, yeah? Planning to fix up that farm your ol' granddad had before?" Asher nodded nervously, and Gus followed suit. "Think you've got it in you?"

"I'm going to try."

Gus stared him down a moment longer, before the dark countenance all but vanished from his face – Just as quickly replaced by the bright, beaming smile that had lain there just moments ago. "Then it's on the house, as my welcome to yah." Asher wanted to faint – Gus was just toying with him?! "Now, if'n you skip town without tryin' to at least make a go of that land... You'n me will have a problem – But you seem like a good kid, and Vernan was a great man. I'll put some faith in you." He gave a mighty wink and laughed into the empty saloon, "'Sides; I'd love to see what kinda produce you come up with; lord knows this town could use the boost!"

 _'So, that's the way of it... They need me.'_ Lewis had all but said something similar, but still left the farmer with guesses and suspicions. Pelican Town was suffering – Why else sell land to Joja, who was clearly booming in the first place? Asher hadn't been entirely lying when he'd claimed to have worked for them – He had some knowledge of their conglomerate, as well as how they operated in the rural areas like this, though through no fault of his own.

 _She_ had worked for them, and naturally couples talked about _everything_.

It was enough to keep him away from the store; Asher would have to keep his business confined to the locals – He should have asked Lewis about that, but the store was nearby, and he had two good legs to carry him.

Gus looked at the plate, and the half eaten food atop it, before giving Asher an equally curious stare. With a gulp of shame, the farmer greedily snacked it down before finishing the water alongside it. Penny had indeed had the right of it with her suggestion, but somehow his meal still felt spoiled by his own insecurities. Gus smiled and took the dishes away, and Asher spun about in his seat, leaning back against the bar and sighing deeply. _'They don't exactly teach classes on how to blend in but MAN am I ever blowing it...'_

 **Author's Note: Woo more characters! I'm trying really hard to try and bring the small aspects of the characters in the game to life, and shine more light on people as they're introduced; hopefully I can get everyone covered in such a way, but I'll apologize in advance if I just can't squeeze all 30ish characters properly into this story .o Likewise, if someone feels off to you, I'd love to know; after all one of the toughest things about fanfiction in general is getting someone else's creative work right in the eyes of the general populace.**


	4. Chapter 4: Supporting Local Business

**Chapter 4: Supporting Local Business**

While the near empty saloon remained a tantalizing use of his time, Asher inevitably decided to leave not long after Gus returned from the kitchen. The proprietor had been quite vocal about the attraction his establishment held for the townsfolk once night hit – Particularly on Fridays. Even despite the earliness of the week, the farmboy felt it best to be absent before any new faces could show up. Still, that didn't save him from further greetings; he needed to scout out supplies for his future endeavors if his farm was to have any hope of making it through the season – Let alone the rest of the year.

As the twin sliding glass doors parted to grant him entry, Asher ran a hand through his short-cropped auburn hair; it had barely started to grow since his last cut yet he already felt shaggy. He grimaced as a man behind the counter called out a greeting, and managed a small wave of his own as he moved to meet him face to face. The shopkeeper was an older man, at least ten years his senior, with a pair of glasses upon his smiling face that reminded Asher his were really in need of replacement – He'd been wearing the same once since the incident, and it was a near thing they hadn't been broken entirely at the time. One lens bore a small, hairline crack, but for the most part they had escaped the scuffle unharmed.

"Hello there." The man greeted warmly, offering a hand. "I'm Pierre; owner and operator. You're Asher, the new farmer, I take it?"

Asher quickly accepted the gesture, holding back a bitter sigh; now they knew his name too? Lewis had a big mouth. "Thinking about having a sign made up." He replied, half jokingly before tapping himself in the chest. "Mount it right here; might help with all these new faces." The man chuckled, clearly interpreting the sarcasm as mere jest – Though even Asher himself wasn't sure how much of it he meant. "I was in town and thought I'd look around; you sell seeds?" The question came to mind as he remembered the packet in his back pocket.

With an eager nod, Pierre indicated the counter, "As a matter of fact I do! Right up there; stocked full at the start of every season for your farming convenience." The man was a walking, talking commercial, but Asher decided to let it slide. If Gus' comments were any indication, Pelican Town was in dire need of some economy; this man's livelihood likely depended on how many customers left with full hands. "I take it the mayor already gave you the Parsnips?"

With a nod, Asher pulled the packet free and held it up to show. "The land's still a mess but I hope to have these in the ground tonight or tomorrow. Then it's just watering them for a couple weeks or something, right?" He made a face; mentally kicking himself for how novice that must've sounded. _'Still, I AM new to all of this... Maybe he has a book on farming?'_

But Pierre was already shaking his head. "A few weeks? By Yoba no! If you do things right you'll have some rich, full veggies in just a few days!"

The packet hit the floor as Asher suddenly lost grip of it. He blinked once, then again; utterly dumbfounded. "I'm sorry..." His composure suddenly returned, and he knelt to retrieve his seeds. "I think I must've misheard you... Did you say _days_?" He knew almost nothing about farming, save for the few memories locked away from childhood – None of which even pertaining to the actual planting involved – But somehow he was sure things didn't just spring up in a matter of day!

 _'Oh god; he's fucking with me because I'm new.'_

The man's smile, however, was anything but disingenuous. He clapped Asher heartily on the shoulder – Something the farmer could've easily done without – And led back back towards the counter. "I guess ol' Lewis forgot to give you the primer. See, here in the valley, things run a little bit differently. You've heard of magic?"

"I've heard of insanity."

Pierre frowned some, before shaking his head and regaining himself. "That's normal, I guess; the city is too busy to deal with such things – But out here, it's a real thing. Not like in those games Abigail is always playing, but in the thoughts and feelings and air all around us. The soil here has a life all it's own, and if you can tap into it for yourself, you'll only prosper all the more." Still Asher stared with bug-eyed uncertainty, causing the man to sigh. "Lewis really should've been the one to do this..."

Though it reeked of craziness, Asher could at least recall how prosperous his grandfather had been – And the man always worked alone. Save for the few times family was out to visit, he could never recall a time Vernan accepted help on his farm – And he had passed on well into his seventies! Such a thing should have been impossible, even for the most able-bodied of men... Unless Pierre wasn't entirely mad.

His thoughts returned to the oddities of the morning, and his strangely cleaned clothing atop the table – Maybe there was a greater force at work here... "A few days, you said?" He held up the packet anew.

With a nod, Pierre clapped him again and at last released him – Moving to stand behind his counter once more. "That's right. You'll see it for yourself, trust me." His grin returned in full, and seemed only to grow as he spoke, "Believe me Asher, I didn't believe a word of it until Joja moved in down the street there." He offered a point towards the door, and the farmer turned as though the infamous building were standing just behind him. "They've been trying to buy up land all around here, and whenever someone is stupid enough to sell to them, they all but run it dry."

"Really? So nothing grows where Joja sets up shop?" Maybe they were using chemicals – Asher remembered they were no stranger to playing dirty in such matters.'

But Pierre quickly shook his head, "There's more to it than that. When their farmland fails, they sell it to someone else – Trying to scam some new sucker out of their money, no doubt – But then that new person has no problem getting the place up and running again." Asher raised an eyebrow; now THAT sounded crazy! "It's like they're cursed – And a good thing too. Damn place is trying to put us all out of business..."

To that, the farmboy remained unsurprised – That was business, and nothing was ever going to change in that regard. Slowly, mom and pop stores like this would inevitably be devoured by the larger chains – And Joja was just about the biggest fish around. Their coverage spanned almost everything; enough that, should Pierre fail to have what he needed for the farm, Asher remained confident that Joja wouldn't disappoint.

Except that he despised _her_ ; and them by extension.

"Listen." Pierre spoke anew, causing him to turn. "Sooner or later they're going to come around and try to rope you into spending with them – That scumbag Morris has already siphoned off even some of my regulars with his low prices – But I guarantee the seeds I sell are the finest around. The fruits and vegetables you'll grow from Joja won't be nearly as good – And you might just upset the land for dealing with them in the first place." To that, Asher smelled desperation, but still he couldn't fault the man, even now. With a sigh, the shopkeeper fell back in his seat, slumping his shoulders. "Sorry; I'm being unprofessional. Hell of a way to make an impression on a new face, huh?"

Asher made a face, before looking at the various displays upon the counter top. There were seeds for all the springtime varieties – And even a few Asher himself had never heard of. He glanced anew at the sachets of Parsnip seeds, reading them more thoroughly for the first time before snatching up a handful and tossing them before the gloomy man. "Fuck Joja." he said simply, his face impassive. "How much?"

At that, Pierre's enthusiasm returned in full, he quickly rattled off a price that, despite all the buildup, still somehow felt reasonable – Though once again Asher wished he knew more about this whole mess. He paid and dropped the lot into his bag just as a door leading further into the store opened off to his right. He turned, and watched as a young woman – One that was surely around his own age – Stepped out and looked towards him. Her hair was long and lavender – Immediately catching to the eye – And topped with a forest-green bow. Her clothes cried tomboy, with a dark blue vest over worn and scuffed hikers pants; not at all the kind of girl he would've expected to see in such a place.

Whatever interest she might've held in him died as she turned towards Pierre. "Going to meet the guys." She said plainly, before rounding the aisles and making for the door. She stopped only long enough to look back at the pair one last time before vanishing through the glass.

"My daughter, Abigail." Pierre said, as though he held any obligation to explain. "Sorry about her manners she's... Difficult." He seemed almost to struggle with the right word. He sighed, "Sometimes I don't know what to do about her."

Asher shrugged, and shoulder his bag nonchalantly. "It's fine. My whole day has been meeting people; I can use the break." He offered the man a half-smile before tilting his head towards the bag. "If these things grow as fast as you claim I'm gonna need a place to sell'em. Any thoughts?"

As if in answer, the older man turned towards the far wall – Asher looked as well. It was lined with signs that cried out for fresh produce, though the bins and baskets seemed almost bare. "I think we can reach some kind of arrangement." He chuckled. "You'll want to talk to Gus over at the saloon as well – I know he's just as sick of using Joja's stuff in his food as I am. Between the two of us, I think you'll be good and compensated."

"Then I think we're done here." Asher offered the man a crisp, twin-fingered salute and made for the door; stopping just long enough to cringe as how awkward he suddenly felt – Who the hell saluted anyone? Especially in a place like this!

The doors couldn't open fast enough for Asher, and he bolted through them fast enough that he very nearly barreled into someone else.

Mercifully, the incident with Penny remained fresh in his mind, and rather than bowl them over the farmer threw himself to the side; he hit the ground, but at least the other person kept their footing.

 _'I hate my life...'_

"Oh my!" A woman's voice called out in surprise, "Are you alright?"

He wasn't shaken, nor dizzy, but neither was Asher in any hurry to get up again. On the ground, he was doing the least amount of damage to anyone else. Instead he looked up at her and gasped.

Was Pelican Town just a haven for beautiful women?

She was tall – Nearly half a foot taller then he was, and Asher was no slouch – With long, orange-red hair tied down in a braid that fell across her shoulder. She bore a green travelers vest over well-worn slacks, and across one arm she carried an empty wicker basket. Her face was awash with concern – And Asher realize he still hadn't answered her yet.

"Just... I'm a klutz; sorry." Somehow Pierre hadn't come to investigate the incident – Was this just the norm for the quaint little town? Asher frowned at his own misfortune; some someone trying to keep a low profile he seemed be adept at making a scene. "You okay?"

"You're the one on the ground." She hid a giggle behind the back of her hand, before offering it to him. The farmer fought down the creeping sense of deja vu and allowed himself to be pulled up, taking note of the woman's thin, yet somehow muscular arms – Surely she exercised, or had some other physical sort of hobby. "I'm fine though; thanks for asking. Bit of a hurry, I guess?"

Asher had no response; at least no good one he was ready to give her. Why had he been running again? _'Because you made an ass of yourself inside.'_ His mind was quick to remind him. His gaze drifted from her, up towards the sky as an idea formed slowly. "Day's not getting any younger..." He mused with a halfhearted shrug. "I didn't want to waste it."

Smooth, Asher. Very smooth.

To his surprise, the woman was quick to agree. She offered him a bright smile and shared his upward glance. "It is a nice day, isn't it?" At once, a look of realization overcame her and she quickly looked back his way. "Oh! You're the new farmer, aren't you? I'd almost forgotten!" Once more she offered her hand, and though any new names seemed all the more a hassle at this point, Asher took it nonetheless. "I'm Leah; I actually live pretty close to where your farm is so... I guess we're gonna be neighbors!"

In his experience, neighbors only meant problems – Like asking for things or making noise. Asher raised an eyebrow. "Do you own cows?"

With a toss, Leah moved her braid back behind her; clearly a habit she fell into without realizing it. "No, those would be Marnie's; she lives a bit closer to you than I do and she has a couple of cows basically year-round. She breeds animals, see – I bet you could even get some yourself once your farm is in better shape." She stopped short and covered her mouth, as if her last words were among those most vile – Quickly, the woman shook her head, sending her braid every which way behind her. "I mean! That was rude; I'm sorry!"

The apology was lost on him. "How is stating a fact considered rude?" He crossed his arms before him and nodded back towards his new land. "It's gonna take a lot of work before it's in any shape to house something other then me so... No harm in calling it like that, right? Don't worry so much." She looked relieved all at once, and it took him only a second longer to understand why; he was a stranger to them.

They hadn't a clue how he'd react to _anything_ , let alone criticism – Clearly Leah didn't want to make a bad impression.

Asher decided to change the subject, and eyed the basket. "Shopping?"

She followed the look, eyeing the empty wicker for a moment before shaking her head. "No – Well, a little. I usually go foraging in the woods around my place – Our places, I guess – For things to make. I'm kind of a health nut when it comes to my meals, and you can't really beat what mother nature has to offer, you know?" He didn't, but decided against saying as much – In truth, Asher was already missing the convenience of city life and it's many options for quick, easy food – Though Gus and his wonder tacos were a nice replacement.

He would've almost asked for the recipe if he had any real idea how to _cook_.

"I just need a few things from Pierre's... I guess you've met him?" Asher nodded quickly, and got a response to match. "But I should get going; I've got a project to work on back home once I'm done here and I can't wait to get back to it."

He wanted to ask – Asher was curious by nature – But the girl was giving him an out; why ruin it? "What kind of project?" He winced; _'Why do I talk? WHY DO I TALK?!'_

The question, at least, seemed to please her. On the verge of entering the store, Leah instead turned and smiled at him, returning her attention to the farmboy in full. "A sculpture. I'm an artist and... Well, I want to be an artist – It's my dream so I moved out here to let my creativity blossom and get away from all the constrictions of the city really have a chance to express myself and oh geez..." All the magic and whimsy in her eyes faded just as quickly as it begin, and she was left frowning at the dirt. "I'm totally rambling now, aren't I?"

She was, but he didn't have the heart to tell her. Asher shook his head, "Not at all." He didn't mind, truly – But he wanted to leave. The longer he stood out here the less work he was getting done and, worse, the more people he'd likely have to meet. Still, now he was in too deep to simply turn and walk away. "You shouldn't ever be ashamed of expressing yourself, or your dreams. If you're boring, or annoying, or people don't want to hear it they'll tell you, but unless that happens just be proud of what you're saying." Where the hell did THAT come from? The farmer adopted a musing look, trying to appear he had something profound to finish off the sentiment, but nothing came to mind.

Crap; now what?

Leah, however, was already awed by his words. "I... Thank you. I hadn't thought of it like that – I guess I'm just used to negativity. But you're right; art is my passion, so... I should be proud of it, right?" She didn't need an answer; she already had it.

Asher nodded anyway. "Just be you, and screw everyone else." A sharp wince overcame him and he threw out his hands in defense before she could even react. "Not – Not literally, I mean!" Reddening, the farmer bowed his head; defeated. "You know what? Just don't say the first thing that pops into your mind and you'll be alright..."

A gentle pat upon his shoulder made him look again; Leah was smiling – Somehow he hadn't offended her. "The first thing is usually the honest thing, and that's always the best, so thank you. Really." She leaned back and moved to enter the store before giving him one last look. "By the way..." Her face suddenly turned curious, matching his own confusion. "What's your name? You never actually told me."

Clapping a hand to his face, Asher barely stifled a curse before managing to answer. She giggled, waved a goodbye and left him to his embarrassment. "Why do you talk, Asher?" He wondered allowed, finally turning to make the short trek home. "And why do you always slip up the moment a pretty face wanders by?" It wouldn't lead anywhere good – He'd learned that the hard way.

It was a mistake he never wished to make again.

 **Author's Note: I'm starting to realize the biggest struggle is just finding the right place to introduce people - And making sure it doesn't feel klunky or unneeded. I'm not sure how commonplace it is to have Stardew fics actually showcase the day-to-day farming grind, but since I really feel the emphasis of this should be on the interactions and characters and story it'll likely deviate from the norm a bit. But don't worry! There'll still be some farming if poor Asher can ever get away from people!**


	5. Chapter 5: A Helping Hand

**Chapter 5: A Helping Hand**

It had taken a strong sprint the moment Leah had left him, but Asher managed to make it to his farm without encountering anyone else. He trudged towards his steps, stopping just long enough to take a breath before climbing up onto the deck and heading inside. He reached for the light as he eyed the clock; over half the day had already been sucked away by the little venture into town – A fact that failed to sit at all well with him.

Still, nothing to be done for it now. He dropped the bag by the door, content to let it sit there until he headed back out; there was still work to be done, after all. He looked about, wondering if anything else had been moved in his absence, and to his surprise everything looked as it should. _'Should I be surprised by that? That's how it should be...'_ It remained difficult to forget the oddities of the morning, but as time wore on he became more and more certain that it was all in his head.

 _'Sure, and you just cleaned your clothes in your sleep I suppose?'_

At the very least Lewis' visit had shown him a few things; the townsfolk were nice – Perhaps even too nice – And he knew where to get food. He might well have some way to properly sell him produce once it grew and, perhaps most importantly of all, there was little love for Joja Mart here. It would make things easier if they ever came knocking, which Pierre had assured him they would – Asher made a fist and quickly released it. From what he knew of the company, Joja reps were persistent; he'd have to make himself clear the first time around.

Otherwise they'd never leave him alone.

But that was a worry for some other day. For now, the farmer approached the wall and snatched up a few tools – Enough to at least get his seeds in the ground. He tossed the watering can in the bag and slung the rest of his shoulders before heading back outside and surveying the chaotic scenery.

"Oh, so that's how it is..."

Little wonder his home had been left so untouched; whatever intrusive forces had stirred about this morning had apparently turned their attentions to the _outside_ now. Asher looked about; the woodpiles had been painstakingly stacked – Far better then he knew he'd done earlier – And much of the debris had been cleared from the areas nearest the cottage; it was as though the farmboy had worked unstintingly throughout the day, but he knew that was anything but the truth. He approached the empty, newly cleared land just to the side of his home and cast about, desperate for any explanation. Still the land reeked of a mess, but at the very least he had been allotted a small amount of space – Space he intended to put to use.

 _'Am I supposed to be thankful?'_ He wondered as he placed the tools to one side and grabbed for the hoe. _'Or should I be terrified?'_ With a mighty swing he brought the metal down, digging it deep into the dirt before pulling it back. An idea took form in his mind; if he could somehow find a water to build sprinklers down the line, and run them to the fissures scattered about the land, he wouldn't have to waste precious hours watering everything each morning. Naturally, to even attempt such a thing he'd need supplies – And metal – As well as the blueprints to know what the hell he was doing, but the idea still made him smile.

Asher didn't stop until until he had enough room for every seed. He wasn't really sure how much space the parsnips would truly need, so he guessed to the best of his ability, and it wasn't until he had replaced the soil and moved to fill the watering can that he slapped himself on the head, chiding himself for forgetting. _'Fertilizer!'_ The farmer all but fumed, _'Why didn't I ask about that? What kind of idiot...'_

Oh well, nothing to be done for it now – He'd get it next time.

The sun was setting as he at last finished with his work, but Asher felt a renewed sense of pride in his surroundings. He set the newly chopped wood neatly upon the stacks beside his home and looked out over the landscape. _'Maybe I don't have a clue what I'm doing, but if I keep taking it slow then I'm sure this'll work out.'_ It was hard not to smile; this was his now. He was earning it.

For you, grandpa.

Still, there was weeks of work ahead of him, even if the strangers hiding upon the farmland continued to lend a hand – Somehow he'd have to find out about them as well. _'But who to ask – Hell, HOW to ask?'_ His mind was groggy and tired; those were problems for another day. For now, he headed back inside and gently replaced the tools. The bag was empty of seeds now; everything was planted. If Pierre was to be at all believed he'd be able to make some manner of profit in just a few days though even now, despite the mysteries he'd seen, he still had his doubts.

 _'Still, wouldn't be opposed to a miracle like that...'_

He took a seat on the bed and stifled a yawn; still a little too early to sleep. Instead, he fumbled for the remote beside his clock and aimed it at the TV, frowning as he did. Why did he leave that thing on the floor? There was a table that could've held it just as easily – Tomorrow, maybe. He kicked off his boots and turned on the set, moving to get changed while a man in a smartly pressed suit read off the predicted weather for tomorrow.

 _'No rain.'_ Asher thought, as he stripped and replaced himself into a pair of shorts for the night. Even with the cool springtime air, the cottage remained stuffy; he didn't want to sweat through the night if he could help it. _'Probably a good thing – Might drown out the crops.'_ He listened for only a few minutes more after returning to bed before changing the channel.

The next bore an old crone, wrapped in dark lavender robes. She sat before a table bearing only a shining ball – It reminded Asher of the stories he'd heard of fortune tellers and their ilk as a child, and it made it all the more hilarious as he realized that was exactly what she was rumored to be! "Hear me well, o' viewer from the valley!" Her voice was shrill and raspy, yet somehow strong and imposing all the same – Asher nearly changed the channel, but found himself compelled to listen. "The spirits are angry – ANGRY! And you would do well to avoid them today! Stir not within their realm lest you incur their mighty wrath upon you!" The farmer chuckled; the hag had a humor about her that tickled him some – He'd seen comedians who weren't this funny.

"If there spirits were that pissed they'd be messing with me much worse then this." He told the empty room. The crone said nothing more, seeming only to stare determined into his eyes through the screen. He watched for several minutes, but she seemed to be found out things to say entirely – Why was this still running? Was it live? "Hold on a second..." He sat up, suddenly alert; what did she say?

 _'Viewer from the valley...'_ Her voice echoed in his mind – He was in the valley! He peered closer, growing more nervous as those eyes seemed to fix on him. The farmer became more and more aware of his little he was dressed, and quickly grabbed for the blankets when at once he snapped to reality. "This is stupid." He gave the silent crone a dirty look, "It's a fucking television program – I'm being ridiculous."

Angry, he changed the channel again, and flopped down onto his pillow – His eyes were met only with static. "Well... Shit." He tried again, only to find the same result. "Seriously?" A last press of the button returned him to the weather, and at last the farmer realized the true purgatory of Pelican Town.

They only had two stations.

"No phone, no internet and no TV – Great." Of course, the phone had been his doing, but it somehow felt right to rope the three all together. Bitter, he turned off the set and dropped the remote back beside him. The clock blinked out a constant showing of eight after dark – Far and away too early for him to rest, but for whatever reason he felt like doing nothing else. Sure there was the saloon – And it was only a few minutes away if he ran – But he'd had enough of people for one day.

Plus, he'd have to get dressed again.

"Guess I'll sleep... Might as well." Asher closed his eyes, trying to will the annoyance from his mind; just when things were looking up it seemed like reality had to stick it's nose in and remind him of all the conveniences he'd left behind. _'It's worth it – It is!'_ It felt less assuring in his head so he tried saying it aloud – And failed to convince himself all the more.

Worse still, he felt like he was being watched.

The second morning started much like the first; Asher awoke to find his clothes for the day already neatly set aside for him – Almost as though he had a maid who wished only not to be found. He sighed, deciding against another commando raid on the bathroom, and dressed in silence, awkwardly looking about whenever the creeping feelings returned. He grabbed for the pick and watering can before venturing outside to greet the early morning sun.

This time, the first thing that caught his eye was the mailbox – A piece he'd somehow missed up until now. It'd been years since he'd seen such a thing – At least one not confined to the wall of an apartment complex – But still he recognized the risen red flag – The universal sign for 'You've got mail.'

"Okay..." He approached and opened the door; inside was a single envelope bearing his name. Asher turned it over, but saw nothing else written upon the piece – They did things differently out in the sticks, it seemed. Nervous, he tore into the slip, revealing a carefully folded letter within and unfurled it to read. "Hello there; just got back from a fishing trip. You should come down to the beach when you have some time. I've got somethin' for yah. Willy." Asher raised an eyebrow and looked around, but no one save himself stood upon the farmland.

"Who the hell is Willy?"

Again he looked at the letter incredulously. It was bad enough Lewis had spread word about him before he'd even arrived, but now – Rather then be bothered to trudge all the way here – People expected him to go to THEM! "Pass." He crumpled the note and tossed it into the trashcan, frowning deeply at it all. He had work to do, after all; there was no time to play meet-and-greet with every single person in Pelican Town.

Yet as he moved on from watering his crops to hacking away at the rocks scattered about the landscape, Asher could not help but grow more and more curious about the letter. Who was Willy? What could the man possibly have for the newest arrival into town? 'Why do I care?' He wondered as well, 'I have everything I need so far, don't I? Why bother with a stranger's charity – I'm fine here.'

But it remained hard to shake his curiosity – So much so that, once his arms began to ache, and he'd collected enough rough stone to set aside for walls or fences – Another notion that had come to him over the night – He found himself looking more and more towards the town. _'You really shouldn't.'_ He thought again of all the people he'd met the day before; he wasn't here for friends, he was here to work.

He was here to hide.

"If I don't go, they might come to me..." If Lewis was at all to be believed, the townsfolk were very eager to meet him – The draw and allure of a new face was apparently too much for them. It might be worse if they got it in their heads that it was okay to poke about his land. Asher frowned; in the battle against himself he was losing – And badly.

Resigned, he turned and rose the pick above his head, ready to crush the defiant rock before him – And stopped. "Fine!" He'd caved; it was time to hit the beach.

It wasn't until he'd made it into town, and was standing unnervingly in it's center that Asher realized he had no earthly idea where the beach even was! He didn't have a map, and the letter – Which he had reluctantly fished from the trashcan – Held no directions for him. Asher frowned as he looked about, but no one direction seemed to scream 'This way, idiot.'

"You looked puzzled, my friend; might I be of assistance?"

The voice caused him to jump; he was certain no one was there two seconds ago. The farmer turned towards the source, at once taken aback by the figure standing before him. A tall man with long, flowing locks and a chiseled smile to match – He could have been a model for all Asher knew. Yet despite the man's graceful appearance, somehow the farmer was surprised. _'With all the cute girls around there was bound to be at least a few hot guys to match.'_

He blinked in surprise – Shocked by his own internal monologue. _'Did I really just think that?'_ The man waited patiently for him to respond, maintaining his cheerful smile as though he had all the time in the world. Asher kicked himself for getting so easily distracted. "The beach." He finally replied, "I just realized I have no idea where it is."

"Ah! Well then fear not, you strapping thing you, for I know the way all to well!" The man made a grand gesture that extended beyond the saloon; it were as though he were some grand monarch, showcasing to some peasant the berth of his kingdom. "I would be happy to lead you to your destination."

Despite the man's apparent kindness, however, Asher remained pensive – Who was this guy, anyway? "You got a name to match all those fancy words?" He asked nervously.

He took the question like a blow to the chest, his smile turning into surprise, then shock, before reaching critical embarrassment. "My word, you're right! I never introduced myself, did I?" Asher prepared himself for yet another handshake – But one that never came. Instead, the man took a half step back and bowed – Nearly losing his grip on the grocery bag that, until this point, the farmer had failed even to register before him. "You may call me Elliot." He stood tall at once, and set his eyes upon the farmer once more; the smile returned as well. "And unless I missed my mark, you would be the new farmer – Asher, yes?"

The man was either eccentric or crazy – Who acted like that in this day and age? Asher managed a small nod, still perplexed by Elliot's bizarre mannerisms, but managed to suppress anything further. He looked on down the road that had been indicated before him; with the proper direction he could likely find the place on his own – After all, how hard could it be to find a bunch of sand and the ocean? - But now he felt compelled to let Elliot guide him; it would've been rude to decline all at once.

Being rude might attract more attention then being nice; he needed to blend in.

"Lead on."

With a happy grin the tall adonis took to the lead, but even as he walked he granted Asher many a backwards glance. "So, do tell; how are you enjoying our little slice of paradise here in the valley? Does this place not enchant you? Enthrall you?" The more he talked, the less interested he seemed in Asher's answer – The farmer merely let him ramble. "Forgive me; the beauty of Pelican Town is not lost upon me, but I find myself often lost within it. Your farm – How does it fare?"

"It fares... Fair?" How was he supposed to answer that? "There's a lot of work to be done, but it keeps me busy." Small wonder he could tear himself away from it at all, but his shoulders were still aching – It'd likely be weeks before he built up enough resistance to ignore the pain and aches that came alongside the workload. "What about you?" He gave the man another look; his clothes were a little raggedy, and covered in sand, but he carried himself with an air that reeked of class. "Actor, maybe?"

He beamed at the guess. "My, what a compliment! No, no, dear boy – My palette lies elsewhere." Elliot's grin grew evermore. "I aspire more towards the written word. I moved here to Pelican Town to become an author, you see – I even took up a home upon the beach to find my inner peace as the creativity spills out of me." Asher cringed at the words – Why did he have to talk like that?

It was hard to fault him for it though; creative types were often like that. Asher had known an artist back in the city who refused to do or say or even eat certain things at certain times of the week because it interrupted his "process" - A term the farmer had grown to despise over the years. That man had let his own devices run him but, if nothing else, Elliot seemed to be the one in control.

Either that, or he was a good faker.

The pair passed by a tall house – One far and away bigger then the rest that Asher had seen since arriving. He looked up upon it, managing a small whistle of admirable for how nice it looked; his companion nodded approvingly. "That would be our dear mayor's home; he has himself set up nicely, don't you think?"

"Lewis lives _there_?" And Asher was stuck in a glorified hovel?!

With a nod, Elliot indicated the road ahead. "You see that bridge there? The beach is just beyond it. If I may; what business did you have there? Sightseeing, perhaps? Or did you merely wish to feel the sand between your toes?"

With a glance at the bridge – A solid, stonework sort of thing – Asher shook his head at Elliot. He moved to answer when a few others began to cross before them. A pair of children – A boy and girl both – Skipping merrily along, lost in their own little world. The girl sporting deep-set lavender hair – Even darker then Abigail's, and a frilly dress to match. The boy beside her, with a bright, youthful smile, had shorter, red hair done up in spikes; both children carried books in their hands.

Behind them was a more familiar form, and as she passed them by Penny turned and offered each a small wave. Elliot was quick to return the gesture and, despite himself, Asher smiled and nodded in her direction. He watched in silence as they continued on down the road, towards a few of the houses he'd spied the previous day before Elliot – Still awaiting his answer – Coughed lightly into his hand. "Oh!" Asher looked back towards the man, "I got a letter. Someone named Willy wanted to see me about... Something. I'm not sure what."

"Ah! Our friend of the sea – Of course. He's often busy, what with his fishing and that store of his but surely he just wanted to extend his greetings to you as well." So saying, he led them onward across the bridge. Asher trudged along, taking only the faintest moment to examine the fine workmanship upon the stonework piece before his feet at last touched upon the sand of the beach. Up ahead the vast ocean stretched for miles – Running out farther then he could even see. A small shack – Barely the size of his own home – Lay just off to one side while further on lay the docks and what had to be Willy's store.

Where else would a fisherman set up shop?

Elliot indicated the shack, "This is where I leave you, I'm afraid. The words call to me, you see, and I am loathe to put them off any further." He pointed down towards the docks. "If you venture forth that way I'm sure you'll encounter our wayward soul – And be sure to give him my regards as well. He's quite the considerate neighbor you know." Once more he bowed his head, but this time in farewell, not greeting. "It was a pleasure; good fortune to you and your ventures."

With that, he turned and left, leaving the bewildered farmer standing alone on the quiet shoreline. Asher took a few steps forward, taking in the sights and the smells – He'd never been one for the water, but merely standing here felt refreshing to him. The city had no time for beaches or oceans – Or really anything not covered head to toe in concrete; being here in the valley was doing wonders for him already.

A small crab scuttled on by, barely catching his eye as it wandered off to one side. Asher watched it with some interest as the creature crept passed Elliot's shack towards a small stream – And another, more secluded beachfront beyond. It was a simple thing, but one that reminded the man a little of himself – A tiny creature caught up in the mess of the world around it. But the crab had it easy; his life was a mere triviality of eating, sleeping and scuttling about – The hardships of life would likely just pass him by, unless he caught the eye of a gull down the line.

 _'Well; that thought got dark fast.'_

The crab stopped and seemed to turn to face him, before at once diving back into the water and vanishing from view. _'If only it were that easy to just disappear...'_ He thought glumly, before turning and making his way down towards the docks. It was time to see what Willy wanted.

 **Author's Note: Real talk? When I started this chapter I wasn't 100% set on having Asher accept Willy's note at all; I honestly considered making him ignore it in favor of farming, but since each chapter is meant to trickle in a few characters, there really wasn't anyway to do that if he just stayed home. This way, I got to add in someone else, and maybe paint the town in a more creative light in the process :3**


	6. Chapter 6: Fisherman's Friend

**Chapter 6: Fisherman's Friend**

It hadn't occurred to Asher until he was nearly at the end of the docks that he had failed to ask Elliot who he was even looking for. That he had a name failed to really tell him anything – Unless Willy had a penchant for name tags. Yet as he rounded his way to the front of the small bait shop that sat positioned above the water – A wary thing, he noted, but at least it looked stable enough – He spied a stranger that could be no one else.

For one thing, the man was kicked back in a low-seated chair, absently staring out at the water with his legs propped up atop a small stool. In his hands he held a fishing rod half-heatedly – Which spoke volumes of his skill, or lack thereof. 'I kinda hope a fish runs off with that – It'd be hilarious.' Still, this had to be Willy – Somehow he just knew it. Asher approached, letting his footsteps announce his presence, but the man barely stirred, even when he came to stand alongside him.

The fisherman was an older man – Maybe just a little younger then the mayor himself – With ragged hair and a full beard to match. He wore a well-aged mop of a hat atop his head, adorned with several lures and hooks that had clearly once seen much use in their prime. "You're Willy, I guess?" He offered, watching as the man – At last – Granted him a look.

"Asher." The greeting came as though from an old friend – Like they'd known each other all their lives already. He even tipped his hat! Willy reached down beside him and lifted a second fishing rod – One much more worn then the one already in his hands – And offered it to the farmer. "This is for you."

If Asher was dubious before, his doubt about the man's intentions suddenly increased tenfold. He crossed his arms, refusing to accept the gift, and instead only raised an eyebrow as he stared at the item questioningly. "Why?"

"Have a seat sonny." With a small sigh, the farmer looked about, yet he spied no chair save for the one the fisherman himself sat upon. The docks beneath his feet looked dry enough, yet still he didn't hold much intention for staying around the man beyond the new few minutes. When the fisherman noticed his hesitation, indicated the would-be gift in his hands. "See, when your grand-pappy was still around, he and I would go fishin' just about every day. Sometimes here, sometimes near his place and sometimes out on the water itself. I never saw a man who caught so little take to the waters with such enthusiasm." For the first time, Asher noticed a small fishing boat, barely big enough to hold the pair of old men, tightly secured to the docks – It looked seasoned and weathered, but still sturdy all the same.

Sort of like it's owner.

"He talked about you." Willy went on, drawing his attention anew, "Always with somethin' nice to say. You meant a lot to ol' Vern you know." Asher couldn't help but flush; even after years of neglecting the old man, his grandfather had still made sure to talk him up to his friends – It was heartwarming to hear, yet he couldn't feel worse about learning such a thing. Willy took a deep breath, bracing himself for words yet to come. "When he was on his last days, he asked me somethin' – You know what that was?" Asher had a guess, as his eyes settled on the fishing rod with a renewed yearning – Had that belonged to Vernan? He waited patiently for the man to answer, unsure if he should venture such a suggestion. "He asked me to be patient with you."

"Patient?" What was THAT supposed to mean?

His arrogance much have shown through in his voice, for Willy took that time to chuckle to himself. "The boy's got city-blood in'em – He won't know a damned thing once he gets out here, specially 'bout no fishin'." The man quoted, his eyes trailing upwards to the sky in fond memory. "You give'em my rod, but only iffin' that boy can earn it." Again, the fishing rod was thrust towards his hand, and as Asher at last acquiescenced and claimed it he knew this one could never have belonged to Vernan – This was a test; he had yet to prove himself worthy. "I think you understand what I'm sayin' here boy."

The farmer nodded, and looked over the piece; despite it's age it looked sturdy enough to fight against enough the toughest of prey – But Asher had maybe fished once in his entire life! How was he supposed to prove himself based on that alone? He made a face on some disdain, before giving way to a look of determination in it's stead – It was _fishing_ ; how hard could that be? _'If it's for grandfather...'_ He looked back at Willy and nodded. "You're on; I'll show you some fishing."

Another chuckle; one much larger then the last as the fisherman turned to look back out over the water. "Kids these days; so headstrong. You wanna prove yourself? Gonna take a lot more then just sitting here and catching a few. I want to see commitment to the sea, boy – Not just today, or tomorrow, but all year 'round. You're gonna be a farmer? Well, harvest a crop from a different sort of land – And after that we'll talk." As if on queue, his own line began to tug, and with a practiced hand Willy grabbed it and began his struggle anew.

The man's words resonated strongly with him, yet left him questioning things all the more. How much fishing was he supposed to do – And when? The farm was going to consume his time already, and now he had to make room for this as well? "How many fish?" He watched as the old man tugged back, reeling with muscles practiced for the task, before easing off to give the fish it's own run of things. It was almost a dance between the two; with each taking their turn to lead before one emerged victorious.

Or however dances worked.

Willy laughed despite the battle he faced, his face showing only happiness – Never frustration. "I can't tell you that sonny; by the time you're ready even you won't know anymore." With a mighty heavy he pulled back at once, and the fish tore itself from the ocean, landing hard upon the deck and beginning to thrash about. Willy grinned with a sense of accomplishment as he stood to claim his prize. Asher managed a whistle of approval; the fish was nearly half the man's size! No small feat for someone passed his prime! "That's the beauty of it, you see – You'll start off with a reason, but by the time you're through you'll be fishing just for the love of it." He offered the young man a wink of encouragement, "Mark my words."

Somehow, the farmer could accept that, and found himself smiling as he nodded his own approval. "Fair. I think I can do that." He looked at the writhing fish on the line; it's scales glistening in the midday sun. "What're you gonna do with him? Dinner?"

To that, the fisherman gave a simple nod – Before an idea took hold. "Food he'll provide, but I think a lesson before that. The basics of fishin' are all well and good, but let's see how you handle what comes after." He gave Asher a moment for the words to set in, but continued to watch with a knowing look.

"Wait, what?"

The fisherman stepped forward, and offered the younger man his prize. "Scale it, gut it and bone it; let's see what you can do."

It was hours before Asher found himself crossing the bridge to leave the beach – But hours well, if disgustingly, spent. After watching him struggle and fail at even the most basic of tasks involving the fish, Willy had painstakingly shown him the ins-and-outs of preparing the creature for cooking – And even how to do that! The farmer had never been one who usually enjoyed fish, but since arriving in the small town he'd noticed how that, if nothing else, had begun to change.

The meal had actually been pretty good!

Now, armed with the new knowledge, the young man felt at least mildly confident he could survive if merely armed with a fishing pole someday – Though he still hoped against hoped such bizarre circumstances would never come to pass. He shouldered the tool as he walked, rolling one shoulder before the other. He felt refreshed; the visit had been an ultimately fruitful venture after all – It was an unexpected surprise. 'Now what?' He wondered, as he made his way back towards the town's square. The sun was beginning to set already, which meant if he intended to do anymore work he'd have to be quick – But the crops were watered, and already he had combated the growing mess for the day.

His gaze fell upon the saloon as he moved to pass it. Gus had boasted highly of how many usually gathered there at night; a point which made the farmer hesitant even to approach. But despite that, he felt himself drawn to the very notion of camaraderie today – Perhaps his misconceptions about the fisherman's gift still bothered him.

He'd been wrong about Willy – Maybe he'd be wrong about the rest.

 _'Don't get involved.'_ Asher told himself, _'You're pushing it already.'_

With a small sigh, he started walking again – One lapse in judgment could cost him everything, and what even was there for him at a saloon anyway? Alcohol and people – And he didn't much care for either. Both could lead him to mistakes. He couldn't even rationalize a visit with more of Gus' cooking; his stomach was still full from the fish!

"Nervous?" A voice asked him, making him jump and spin around. A woman approached him – One he hadn't yet met. His eyes were drawn to her hair at once; he hadn't expected anyone to stand out more then Abigail here, but this girl had her beat with short-cropped azure locks that fell away to either side. She beamed brightly at him, and indicated the saloon. "I saw you watching the bar just now – You don't have to be shy just 'cause you're new. We're all really friendly here." Asher looked downcast; he wasn't nervous he was just...

Well, maybe nervous _DID_ cover it pretty well.

"It's nothing." He sputtered, shaking his head, "I just... It's late and I should be getting back..." The girl gave him a dubious look and eyed the watch across her wrist. Asher knew the time; he'd looked before leaving the beach – The night had only just begun! _'Now I sound old; fantastic.'_ Still, it was in his best interest not to bother – Not getting involved with people was his best chance of starting over here.

"You're nervous." She told him again, shaking her head in a manner most disapproving. "Let me help." She didn't wait for an invitation and instead moved to gently nudge him back towards the saloon – Clearly personal space wasn't a problem for her. Asher found himself pushed back, and in his head he felt unsure whether to resist or simply give in – Wouldn't it seem even more suspicious if he adamantly refused now?

Or would they simply relent and respect his privacy?

To the latter, he had his doubts – Lewis had painted a clear enough picture of how things were in the town. Just about everyone wanted to meet him, with the sole exception seeming to be Pierre's daughter – Maybe she was the only one with any real sense! Asher threw up his hands – Taking care not to accidentally strike the girl with the fishing rod – And brought himself to a halt. "Alright, alright – You win!" He managed to bring his cry to a quiet yell and turned back towards her. "You're a persistent one, aren't you?"

With a bright smile, the girl nodded in reply. "Sometimes in life you have to be pushy to get your way and besides, you're all anyone's been talking about lately." Gently, she swept passed him and stopped just before the door. With a turn and grabbed for the handle and looked back at him, beckoning the farmer closer with a wave. "Come on now – Get a move on."

Resigned, Asher followed her inside; the music emanating from within the moment the door opened. It was a lively, jaunty sort of tune; one he knew would takes weeks to ever truly leave his brain. The farmer looked about the inside after just stepping inside, unsure of where to move beyond the entrance. His wayward guide had left him, moving towards the counter and waving and greeting each person she passed in turn. The place wasn't full, but neither was it empty, and among the patrons the farmer spied a few faces already familiar to him – Small town indeed. The girl rounded the bar, giving Gus a small, apologetic smile as the man indicated the clock upon the wall. They exchanged but a few, quieted words and he nodded at her before she vanished into the back room. _'She must work here.'_

The barkeeper turned to look at him and his smile returned at once. "Asher!" He called – Assuring the farmer that, if the rest of the bar didn't already know he was here, they surely would now. "What brings you today?"

Unsure of what else to do with himself, he shrugged and approached the bar, taking a seat upon a bar stool. "Your..." He pointed in the direction of the door and fumbled for the word, "Assistant? Waitress? … Partner?" Gus raised an eyebrow. "The girl with the blue hair."

"Oh! You mean Emily. So that's why she was late – Well I suppose that's alright then. If it helps you settle here a bit easier then I'm all for it." At that moment the girl returned from the backroom with an apron draped atop her clothes. Quickly, she moved to check on the other patrons as Asher watched. "She's a good one, that girl." Gus went on, "Always upbeat; brings a real energy to the place."

Emily stopped first at a woman sitting alone at the end of the bar, she was older, haggard by life, and looking bitterly into her drink before the girl started to talk. The woman waved her off, yet even that failed to deter the azure-haired youth and detract from her happy smile. She moved on to Leah, whom Asher spied sitting along at a table near the jukebox – But unlike the matron at the bar, she lithe forager looked quite content. She exchanged a few pleasantries with Emily before the waitress moved onto another table.

Leah, however, looked his way and offered a small wave – One which he sheepishly returned and quickly turned to avoid further staring. A large, burly man sporting a rust-stained apron sat near the door; somehow Asher had passed him by without notice. "Another drink, Clint?" Emily asked as she approached; the man all but fumbled the mug in his hands. He sputtered a refusal, but even the farmer could see him flush with embarrassment. Asher observed him closer; this was likely the blacksmith that Lewis had mentioned, for her bore all the obvious traits. A tall frame, muscles to match, worn clothing from his work, and still a few tools poking out from the depths of his apron. The man watched as Emily wandered off – And in those eyes the Farmer could see a deep longing.

 _'How long's it been since I looked at someone like that?'_

The thought made him bitter, and he turned away; Gus had moved to converse with the older woman whole the farmer settled for staring at the counter. He felt movement from one side, and a moment later Leah took a seat in the stool beside him. "Hey." She offered him a small smile and eyed the empty counter space before him. "Not drinking?"

He noticed the mug in her hands as she raised it for drink; Asher shook his head. "Rarely do; dulls the senses." The redhead stared at him for a moment, holding back a grin as she took another sip; the farmer sputtered. "I mean – Dammit. What I meant was..."

She merely giggled in reply, "It's fine Asher – No need to get so worked up. I'm old enough to know what alcohol does you know." So saying she gave herself a mock bonk on the head and feigned dizziness before smiling – It was a grand enough gesture to snap him from his embarrassment. "I didn't see you on your farm today – Off gallivanting around town?"

"You came to my farm?" Was he supposed to feel slighted by that?

The woman nodded, staring into her drink. "I wanted to say thank you for your advice yesterday. I know it's silly but... I'm not used to people being so supportive." In truth, Asher could barely remembered what he'd even said to her – He remained grateful only that it hadn't come back to bite him now. "So, thank you. For your honesty."

Her gratitude gave him little the work with; what the hell had he even said? Asher managed a nod, if only to save himself. "It's nothing. Life's too short for lies anyway." He could almost taste the hypocrisy spewing from his lips; it reeked most foul. _'You're LIVING a lie you monster!'_ The thoughts swirled about his head, but he did all that he could to keep them from showing on his face. Instead, he tried to remember the events of yesterday. Leah was an artist of some kind – Wasn't she? "Hows your project going?"

The question struck a chord, and her smile only grew as a result. "It's great! I think it's really starting to come together – I just need a bit more wood to finish it off, I think, but I can't seem to find the right pieces."

"Have you tried the farm? It's all over the place." The offer came before he even knew what he was saying, and Asher mentally kicked himself for even suggesting such a thing. He was meeting these people in town to keep them AWAY from his farm – He didn't want them there in the first place!

But Leah didn't hear that part – She heard only his words. She looked taken aback. "I mean... I didn't – I haven't. That's your land, you know? I thought you might need it for something, or just not want people around." A perceptive one, this girl. "Are you sure that'd be alright?"

Now he was screwed; he'd put the offer on the table and there was no way to take it back – Not without making the situation far, far worse as a result. He folded. "It's fine; I mean, I'm up at dawn anyway. Can't imagine you're gonna wake me up, you know?" Asher tried to play it off, but it took everything he had to keep from shaking. Such a fool he was – But how could he refuse now?

"Alright then!" Leah threw back her mug, downing the contents triumphantly and hopping to her feet. "I think I'll make a list of what I need tonight then!" Eyes from around the bar fell on her at once, but the girl refused to shirk under the attention. She stared at Asher, who wished only for the looks to cease. "I'll try to stop by sometime tomorrow... Is that alright?"

For a man who needed to live his life – His job – Through routine, Asher suddenly realized how awful he was at planning around things. Was he even going to be home tomorrow, or would some new venture steal his attention and pry him from working the land? _'As long as I water the crops I should be fine but... Why plan to not be there? That'd be worse, wouldn't it?'_ He nodded after a moments consideration. "I should be around; but help yourself if not." He thought about the wood stacked on the deck; did he really need all of it? It was better cut then the debris scattered about; she might be gone all the quicker if she started there. "I've got some stacked near the door – Maybe that's a good place to look?"

Already he could see the possibilities unfolding upon her face, and Leah nodded with renewed excitement. "Thank you SO much for this Asher – Really. It's going to really help my sculpture." She gave him a wave and quickly made for the door – With all of her newfound energy the farmer didn't doubt he'd see her early. If she slept at all it'd be a miracle.

Instead, he turned his attention to the empty mug now seated beside him. Asher made a face, "Wait a second..."

Had Leah just left him with her bill?

 **Author's Note: Daww, Asher made a friend! Well, two, it seems! So, she didn't get much screen-time but I tried to push Emily's eccentric nature forward with her unabashed nature towards new people - Even a withdrawn guy like our main character here. I find her really interesting in the game so I'm hoping I can make that come out better in future chapters as well! :3**


	7. Chapter 7: Of Cocktails And Crows

**Chapter 7: Of Cocktails and Crows**

"I'll take that." Emily said as she passed him by, quickly snatching up the cup and moving to stand behind the counter. She gently placed it down and looked him over before indicating the door. "She sure left in a good mood; not wasting any time with the pretty girls I guess?"

Asher gave her an incredulous look. "What? No I – Wait..." Emily held back a laugh, but still the evidence remained. The farmer frowned. "It's not like that – She wanted some wood so I-" He stopped short, but a snort of laughter from the girl told him he hadn't been fast enough. Reddening, he sunk his head onto the counter – If there were any stains or messes atop it they could have him for all he cared. He felt a hand gently pat him on the back.

"There, there." The waitress still stifled her enjoyment, and instead pat him once more. "So, how are you finding our town so far?"

Asher didn't rise; he barely moved his head. "It's fine." He murmured, still questioning the intelligence of saying anything further – How much farther could he wedge that foot into his mouth anyway? "It's quiet; seems like the people are good. Fresh air is nice." For the briefest of moments he considered asking the girl about the strange things he'd witnessed on the farm.

No, better to think him a fool then a lunatic.

"Better than the city?"

The question made him look at her; somehow he hadn't been expecting it. Asher opened his mouth to speak, only to stop – Was this better? It was different to be certain – Just about every aspect of his life had changed – But how did he feel about it all? All of the modern convenience had been traded away for work and effort and long, long days under the hot sun – But likewise had all the annoyances of his everyday life vanished as well. The issues and problems that were mounting before him were a thing of the past, and until the day that someone came looking for him – And they'd have to look hard – It was unlikely they would ever spring up again.

After all, he'd covered his tracks well, and even _she_ didn't know about his grandfather's farm.

"Better." He said with a level of certainty that surprised even him; the farmer stood firm and resolute with the words and nodded his head. "Definitely better."

Emily hiked up her shoulders, smiling brightly and nodding her approval. "I'm glad. We could always use more spirited people around here; I think you'll be a nice touch." She eyed the empty counter space. "So – Can I get you anything?"

For the briefest of moments Asher considered having a drink – But just as quickly he pushed such thoughts to the side. "I'll pass. Not one for alcohol." She made a face; one that told him there were other options beyond the usual variety – The farmer shook his head. "Not really thirsty either. If you'll recall, I'm only here because _someone_ insisted." He allowed himself a sly grin; and rolled her eyes in mock offense.

The waitress treated him with a knowing wink. "Well, excuuuuuuse me for trying to be a good neighbor."

"Wait, are you the one who owns the cows?"

At that moment, the door opened – Almost abruptly – Causing him to turn. A man stalked in, scowl well-worn upon his face as he made his way passed any who would've otherwise greeted him. Asher took note; the man was gruff – A hard exterior to deter others away for certain – With baggy, unkempt clothes and a five-o'clock shadow upon his face. It was the kind of look he'd seen on drifters or the homeless back in the city; but no one acted like the man was out of place here.

The man walked to the end of the bar opposite the older woman and dropped hard into a seat. He eyed Emily expectantly until, with a small sigh, she pushed away from conversing with the farmer and headed into the back. Asher looked at the new arrival with some curiosity – Something the man seemed to take offense to almost immediately. "You want something?" He asked bitterly.

Asher raised an eyebrow; maybe he'd chosen wisely in not shirking his kindness here. _'If everyone was like this guy I'd already be looking to move again!'_ To the man he shook his head and returned to his thoughts, but still could he feel the scowl burrowing into the side of his head. It lasted until Emily returned with a tall, frosty mug of beer from the back – One that immediately captivated the stranger's attention. He accepted the drink with a nod before waving the waitress away.

"What's his deal?" Asher asked, casting off any notions of subtly as he thumbed in the man's direction. Emily gave him a sad stare.

"That's Shane – He's a regular. Here just about every night of the week." The disappointment was clear upon her face, and her tone made Asher wonder if he had maybe moved to judge the man too harshly already. "He's..." Emily struggled with the word, and ended up only shaking her head. "He's different. Try not to mind him; he doesn't mean any harm."

Asher wanted to be bitter about the man's attitude – There was a time not long ago where few would have shown him such disrespect – But instead he merely nodded quietly. He was in no position to judge anyone – Not when his sins far outweighed anything they had done. He didn't know Shane's troubles – Didn't care to get involved – But neither was he about to judge the man on them either. "He's like that all the time?" Asked the farmer, keeping his voice barely above a whisper.

"Pretty much. His mood barely changes; seems he's only quiet and happy with a drink in his hand."

Asher nodded, suspecting just as much. He knew the type – Quiet, loner, and liked himself a stiff drink whenever possible. He'd worked for, and alongside such people – He even missed a few of the bastards. The farmer fished into his pocket and handed Emily a few coins as subtly as he could. "His next one's on me. Just don't say anything." Asher usually wasn't one for charity – But as one tortured soul to another he could afford at least that much.

The waitress stared at the coins, her face a mix of emotions before she shook her head, pressing them back into his hand. "That's sweet but... Don't worry – We've got it covered. Gus keeps a tab for just about everyone here and... Well, he's a bit looser with Shane's." He wanted to argue, but she wouldn't be dissuaded; Asher replaced the coins with a small nod. "You're a good guy Asher – I'm sure he'd have appreciated it."

The farmer gave the lone man one last look – And got another grimace for his troubles. "I wonder about that." If Shane was anything like those in the city, they'd have surely just spat in his face over such a thing. Asher eyed the clock – The night had overtaken him somehow – And he pushed himself to his feet. "S'pose I'll head home then." He gave the counter top a strong knock with his knuckle, snaring not only the attention of Emily, but of Gus as well. He gave the owner a curt nod before waving to them both. "Have yourselves a good night."

They waved in turn – With Emily granting him one last smile alongside it – Before Asher turned and left. He took in the cool night breeze and stood looking about the quiet town around him. Everything was silent – And eerily motionless. It was a refreshing change from the city, and more then ever the farmer agreed with what he'd told Emily inside.

 _'This was the right decision – I know it was.'_

The next morning arrived without delay. Asher rose and dressed – By this point he'd decided against questioning the odd nature of things around his cottage and instead prepared himself in silence for the day ahead. He wanted answers, but with no one ask – No _way_ to ask, really – He was never going to get them.

It was annoying, but in the end the mysteries were anything but a hindrance.

Armed with his tools and bag, the farmer made his way outside – He scowled up at the sun, already high in the morning sky – Sunglasses would've have gone unwanted in his new life; maybe Pierre could accommodate him? _'I'll ask next time.'_ For now, he had work to do, and with no sign of Leah – Maybe she really HAD stayed up all night after all? - He set right to his tasks.

The crops took little time, though one patch of dirt looked strangely unearthed. He prodded it with the hoe once, worried that he might disturb the budding seeds before his curiosity overcame him and he pulled it back. "What the – Son of a bitch!" Where the other seedlings had already gave way to budding parsnips – A sign that the shopkeeper might truly be onto something with his magic theory – The spot before him was bare! He wondered how such a thing could have happened when movement from above caught his eye.

A large black bird was watching him from the rooftop – Staring down at him with beady little eyes. Asher scowled, "You asshole..." He muttered a curse and looked about, wishing to find something to throw up at the miscreant. He settled on a rock and reared back – But the bird, possibly taking the warning as a risk – Quickly flew off before he dared to throw. "Fuck – First cows now birds. Why do animals hate me?" It was nature, he knew, but it still rubbed him the wrong way – And it soured his mood all the more. Normally he adored animals – He'd even owned a cat once upon a time.

Of course, that was then – _She_ had his cat now.

Asher tossed the rock aside in disgust before gently moving to pat down the dirt with his hoe. He'd need to buy a scarecrow – Or learn how to make one himself – To keep the pesky avian away from his crops. Mercifully they'd only gone after the one, but without a constant vigil they'd be back for more. _'What, am I supposed to stand here and watch? All damn day?'_ That wouldn't do – Not at all!

Asher returned to the deck, but even as he moved the wayward crow returned to watch him. It perched on the railing, as though taunting him and for the briefest of moments the farmer considered taking the hoe to the creature. _'You're mad; not a monster.'_ He quickly remembered and instead settled for glaring daggers at the feathered fiend. "You know what? Screw this. Wait right there."

He was three steps inside before he realized he'd just yelled at a _bird_.

Still, that failed to deter him – Asher was committed now, and for the next hours he did little beyond slave over a new project. He didn't know the elements of a scarecrow – Or really, even what how they worked. All he could assume was that it had to be frightening, so each time he stopped to examine he work, he frowned and started anew. "Scary – More scary." He was his own worst critic; there was no evil too vile to unleash upon the winged terrors.

What slowed him down, he realized, was not scrambling to find makeshift supplies, or even his own lack of knowledge, but indeed the growing audience of birds that seemed to realize his intent. More than once he'd had to drop what he was doing at a crucial juncture just to race towards his precious crops and fend them off anew.

Once, after such a tiring venture he'd spied the mailbox awaiting his inspection – The flag was up again, signifying another letter – But whatever it was could wait. The birds demanded all of his attention. The farmer had used some of the wood he'd cut for the frame, and some spare clothing to make a base – The clothes didn't matter, he could keep wearing the same thing so long as they kept getting cleaned every night. After that, he'd moved to stuff it full of grass and straw and weeds – Anything he could find, really – Before starting work on the head and face.

This was the hard part – Nothing had seemed scary enough to him! He grimaced at the face that stared up at him now – It was unnerving, but not altogether horrific enough for the task. Without pens or markers or ink he had no way to draw something, so he'd settled for carving a face out of wood and mounting it to the top – The scythe had proven remarkably useful for such a task. The birds gathered closer, watching him with interest – Begging him to fail.

Fuck it; time to show the buzzards who they were messing with.

Asher rose to his feet, turning to showcase his creation to the masses, and with a roar most unbecoming he charged forward, waving the scarecrow to scatter them from his homeland. The gesture had all the desired effect and more, for the birds took flight almost immediately – Though deep down Asher wondered if it was the puppet that had done the job, or merely his fearsome cry.

 _'Whatever, it did the job... I think.'_ Satisfied, he moved and jammed the piece into the ground so that it loomed atop his prized parsnips. With a grin of self-satisfaction he turned and watched the skies; daring them to return and face him once more. There wasn't a crow to be seen anymore. "That's right! Run! Flee from me!" He loosed a cackle that would have marked him a madman had anyone been around to hear it and the young man could not help but pump his fist triumphantly as he celebrated his newest victory.

"So um..." A familiar voice from behind him began; Asher froze mid pump – His eyes wide with sudden terror. "Is this a bad time? Should I come back after the... Rain dance, I guess?" Leah could barely contain her laughter, and even as the farmer slowly turned to face her she all but lost it. The wicker dufflebag she held fell free from her grasp as she clutched at her sides, holding them dearly as her joy consumed her in full. Asher died a little inside; he could thinking of nothing – NOTHING – To save him the embarrassment.

Instead, he pointed up at the sky. "There were crows and..."

Leah held up a hand to stop him; she didn't need an explanation for his display – Not that one would have done him any good. "It's fine, it's fine I... Oh man..." She wiped a tear from her cheek and tried to steady herself; whatever her day had been thus far, this would surely be the most memorable part of it. "You are..." She took a deep breath; the laughter had drained her and Leah found herself clutching her knees to fully regain her composure. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

At a loss for words, Asher turned away; his gaze fell upon the scarecrow and he glared as though that sick, grinning face were entirely to blame. Leah followed the look, and he heard her gasp. "What is THAT?"

If the answer wasn't obvious, he had failed already. "It's a scarecrow." He explained simply; bitter at how this entire day had so suddenly turned against him. "It scares the birds."

The artist approached, nodding slowly as though the thing might spring to life at any moment. She drew close, examining the piece with a critical eye and humming lightly to herself as she looked it over. "It's... It's definitely unique..." She gave the farmer a sidelong look, "I guess this is your first one, huh?" Asher gave her only a blank stare in response – It was all the answer she needed. "It's not bad. It's definitely creepy but I dunno if it's _bird creepy_..."

He nearly asked, when the telltale grin gave her away; she was making fun of him again!

Asher stormed back towards the deck and flopped down on the stairs, crossing his arms in a clear and present pout. Leah giggled at his dour reaction and moved to retrieve her bag. "Oh come on now; don't be such a sourpuss." Asher didn't respond; he was too busy glaring at the ground. "Really, it's fine – It'll probably keep the crows away?" The suggestion fell on deaf ears; Leah looked back at the stoic puppet once more. "You should call it Hank."

 _THAT_ got his attention. "Hank?"

Leah only nodded, "Yeah, Hank. Like that one guy? In that show? He was a farmer, right?"

The former city-boy mentally ran through the list of obvious references he could still readily recall – In his downtime he had pursued many a marathon in the years before coming here and after a moment he caught onto her meaning. "I think he was just from Texas, Leah."

She shrugged, either not counting or not caring the difference – Her suggestion had proven enough to snap him from his embarrassment and that was all that mattered. The girl climbed the steps and, spying the wood pile nearest the door quietly indicated it with her finger; she gave the farmer a questioning look.

Asher nodded and she went to work. "Late night?" He guessed, eager to change the subject himself. Around them, the farm was quite; the crows hadn't dared to return and there seemed almost no movement anywhere that he could see from the deck. The farmer glanced up; hours had slipped away as he'd pursued his newest venture with gusto and now he found himself wondering how best to spend the afternoon.

Again, his eyes trailed towards the mailbox.

"I couldn't sleep..." Leah admitted sheepishly as she cherry-picked her way through the pile, adding bits and pieces to her bag whenever she crossed something that met her fancy. "Then when the morning came, I slept right through it. I don't really set alarms or anything, I just wake up when the creativity grabs me – Life's just better when you live it for your craft, you know?" She looked back his way, curious of his thoughts, but the farmer had nothing. He was still trying to adapt living for himself now; before he had lived always for someone else.

He'd lived for _her_ , and now she was gone.

"I guess..." Asher moved to the mailbox as the girl returned to her search; sure enough a new letter awaited his inspection. He picked it up and looked it over; like the last this one bore only his name, but it was written by such a delicate, careful hand that he almost didn't recognize it. The penmanship was immaculate; as though it had come from a master of the craft. _'Did Elliot write me a letter?'_ It was the only person who came to mind, though for the life of him the farmer couldn't fathom _why_.

"I know I said this yesterday, but thanks again for letting me do this Asher..." Leah smiled sweetly as she dug deep; whatever trepidation a person might've had for splinters or cuts seemed not even to exist within her. Her craft – And it's completion – Were all that mattered. Asher gave her a nod and tore into the letter, quickly reading it through in his head. "If not for this, I'd probably have spent the whole day in the forest looking for – Hey..." She stood and watched as the farmer made an odd face. He raised an eyebrow of much confusion and seemed lost by the paper held in his hands. "What's wrong?"

Asher turned his confusion on her and gestured to the letter with his free hand. "Who the hell is M. Rasmodius, and what does he want with me?"

 **Author's Note: Happy tidings! I finally got some reviews on this! If this keeps up I'll start trying to reply to them at the end of each subsequent chapter (Since this site doesn't seem to have a way for me to reply to them directly...) So, without further adieu;**

 **Ghostprone52: Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to review the fic - It means alot and I'm glad you find Asher so interesting. That was legit what I was going for. I'm really happy you're enjoying the guy. The only thing I wanted to address is your comment that I altered Penny and... You're totally right - I did kind of remove her shyness, didn't I? I didn't even realize I did that, and it's one of my FAVORITE qualities about her; I'mma try to explain that better next time she's around because it's my goal to make the game's characters feel as much like themselves as possible. Thanks again!**


	8. Chapter 8: One With The Forest

**Chapter 8: One With The Forest**

The tower stretched upwards for miles before them, rivaling even the tallest of skyscrapers Asher had ever seen back in the city. The farmer was aghast that such a thing could even exist – How hadn't he noticed this before? The walk had barely taken them half an hour – He should have easily been able to spot such a spire from his doorstep! It was built strong of solid stone, and seemed almost to glisten in the midday sun. "This is it." Leah told him, gesturing to the monument, "The wizard's tower."

"I actually thought you were kidding..." Asher spoke barely above a whisper, not daring to take a step forward. Leah had told him only a little of the mysterious owner of the place – He lived much in seclusion, and ventured out only to pursue his strange and wary interests. Leah herself had only seen the man on the rarest of occasions, such as festivals held by the town – And even then he kept to himself. If magic truly existed at all, he would be the person to learn from.

 _'And for some reason he wants to see me...'_

His new friend took a step back as Asher mentally prepared himself to approach; she was looking off to one side. The man bit his lip, hesitating, before giving her a small nod. "You can head back now, if you want." The words made startled her some, as though she hadn't expect them – A sorry look crossed over her features. Asher steeled himself and forced a smile, "Really; it's no big deal. The guy didn't call you, and I appreciate you showing me the way. Why not head back and finish looking for the wood you needed?"

The girl breathed a sigh of relief – She well and truly wished no part in entering the place, though the farmer could readily recall more then a few friends from his city days would have jumped at such a chance. Leah reached into her pockets. "I keep meaning to ask... How much do I owe you for the wood, anyway?"

He blinked in surprise; the question barely registered with him. "What? Nothing – Why would you..." Asher stopped short – Why wouldn't she be expected to pay him? It was his hard work that had prepared the lumber in the first place, and really he was the one helping her out! It made perfect sense now that he stopped to think about it – But something about it all rubbed him the wrong way. "Leah, I said you could _have_ the wood. Not _buy_ it."

No deal had been struck; it felt wrong to change things now.

She seemed reluctant until he pressed the matter with a hard look; at last prompting her agreement. With one last look up at the tower, the girl sucked down a breath. "You sure you'll be alright?"

The question proved only to unnerve him more – Was there any reason he shouldn't be? _'Does she know something I don't?'_ Asher nodded to her regardless; it was too late to turn back now. "If you don't see me again, take care of Hank for me." He allowed himself a cocky grin before trudging forward and climbing the stairs to the wizard's tower. A solid oak door awaited him at the top.

He moved to knock, but the entrance swung open of it's own accord, bidding him entrance. Asher stopped short, once more pondering his options, before steeling himself and venturing inside – What was he afraid of anyway? If the guy really was a wizard, it wasn't as though he had many options. The interior of the tower was dark – And only grew worse as the door slammed shut behind him. "Whoa!"

"Calm yourself, Asher Koll." Spoke a voice deep and booming from further within. The farmer turned on his heel as a bright light burst into existence – It all but blinded him. He threw up his arms to shield himself from the pain, but just as quickly as it had began, the light faded to a dim glow – And at last he bore witness to the man himself.

The one known as M. Rasmodius was a stout man; clad in the robes and hat that Asher had expected after a lifetime of fantasy movies. His hair was a dark lavender that seemed at home with his surroundings, and it flowed down the sides of his face to form a short-cropped beard. In one hand he held a long, gnarled staff that he gestured towards his guest with; his free hand was tucked just behind his back. "You kept me waiting half a day boy; don't you realize how valuable my time is?" He snapped.

Whatever intrigue and mystery the man might've held for him was quickly washed away; Asher only glared. "You know I didn't HAVE to come, right? You could at least be grateful I trudged all the way out here in the first place!" Who the hell did this guy think he was, anyway? Wizard or not there was such a thing as common decency – But the robed magi merely tsked and shook his head. He pointed the staff closer towards the disruptive youth.

"Such impudence! I would not be so quick to anger if I were you boy – Not unless you feel you have better control over it this time." Asher stopped cold; he hadn't lost his temper – _Really_ lost it – In months. Not since the incident. Not since he'd lost everything.

But Rasmodius couldn't know about THAT could he?!

As if reading his very thoughts, the wizard took a daring step towards him, lowering the stick and nodding his head solemnly. "Silence suits you better; I would ask that you remain that way until we are quit here." He indicated the source of the glow, causing the stunned farmer to follow. Somehow, Asher had missed noticing the massive black cauldron centered within the room – As well as all the bubbling smells and sensations brewing within. Asher wanted to look – His curiosity all but demanded it – But he was so fixated on the wizard's words that he could think of nothing else.

Rasmodius said something, but Asher was miles away. In anger, the wizard spoke again, but when his voice failed to reach the boy, he raised the staff – A threat. Asher looked on with vacant eyes – His secret couldn't really be out already, could it? Had this strange hermit truly found him out?

A sharp blow to the head sent him reeling, and the farmer quickly grabbed for his hurt. "OW!" He cried in sudden alarm; the room returned to him and he could see was the form of the very angry magi looming above him.

"Listen to me boy! You will waste no more of my time; I have questions for you!"

But the farmer would hear none of it. Infuriated, he made a fist, but even before he could raise it his arm held itself in check. Asher looked down, struggling against unseen bonds, before glaring angrily at the man before him. "Let me go!" He roared; his voice seemed to echo throughout the circular room around them both. "Let me go or I'll-"

The wizard allowed himself a small chuckle, and leaned almost casually upon his staff. "Or you'll what, boy? Strike me? I would be amused to see such a thing." He looked purposely down upon the boy's arm; it was still no closer to reaching him then it had been since Asher dared think it. "Contrary to what you may think I have no intention of harming you – But neither will I be disrespected. I have questions now, but I will have answers – From you." He leaned back, gently tapping the farmer upon both knees with the end of the stick. "Sit."

Asher sat obediently, but his face remained masked in fury. "I'm warning you..."

"Your temper ruins you Asher Koll; it has done so once before and it could well do so anew." The farmer's eyes went wide with alarm – He did know! But how?! Rasmodius seemed to take an interest in the surprise and tilted his head just to one side. "Surprised? Don't be. No one dares set foot in my valley without my knowledge of it – No sooner did you step off that bus then I knew all that I needed of you." This was insanity – Everything was coming apart! Sweat trickled down the sides of Asher's face as all of the fear – The anxiety – That he had run from caught up to him all at once. Rasmodius seemed almost not to notice; he drew closer, stopping but a few hairs breadth from his panicked face. "You do not scare me, Asher Koll – I know what you are."

At once, whatever spell that held him in thrall loosened, and the farmer fell back against the floor. Asher scrambled to back away – He wanted to turn and flee – But even as he made to rise, the wizard said something that surprised him enough to stop.

"I know what you are – And I don't care." He stood tall once more, and gestured for the boy to do the same. "Stand – And by the spells stop cowering. Are you a man or a dog?" He didn't wait for an answer, and instead gestured to the bubbling cauldron once more. "I require answers boy; are you ready to hear the questions?"

Still the thoughts of flight remained with him, and Asher risked a glance at the door – Or would have, had he been able to find it. Somehow, no matter where he looked, the exit seemed hidden from his sight – Another spell no doubt. Rasmodius had need for him; why would he just left the farmer go? Willing himself to calm, Asher barely managed a nod. "What... What is it? What do you want?"

Rather than answer him directly, the wizard turned and thrust a hand into the cauldron – Asher all but jumped out of his boots in sudden alarm. With a cry the arcane man turned and hurled a handful of contents onto the floor – Onto the very center of a drawing the farmer had failed to realize until now. His eyes widened in surprise as his fears slowly slipped from his mind; Rasmodius had drawn and honest to life magic circle upon his floor! The boy had seen so many of these through movies and television – Even in some of his childhood video games – But never before in person. He wouldn't have thought anything could surprise him more, until the blue-green contents struck the center, and the whole of the circle bathed the room in bright light once more.

Asher turned away; a small chirping cry of surprise filled his ears. When he turned back around a tiny emerald creature hovered just above the center of the circle. It was round, almost like a ball, flailing for all it's worth with tiny stick-like arms and legs. Twin beady eyes stared up at him, and a lone antennae upon it's head twitched in fear and excitement. "What the hell is that thing?!"

"This." Rasmodius regarded the creature with a kind nod, gently kneeling beside it and ushering the creature to silence. "Is a Jumino – One of many. This, Asher Koll..." He glanced musingly upon the farmer, "Is one of your " _rats_ "."

It took a moment for the realization to hit him, and at once the farmer hopped up in surprise. "You mean – Wait!" He pointed accusingly at the Jumino. "You mean those things are in my house?! They're the ones who've been messing with me all this time?!"

"Calm your voice boy – You're scaring it." To Asher, the Jumino looked all but tranquil – He doubted he was alarming the thing at all. Rasmodius stood up and brushed off his robes. "And if by "messing with you" you mean assisting, then yes – These are what you seek." He once more looked down at the creature – It stared up at him in return. "The question is; why? For whatever reason they refuse to speak with me, yet they seem fascinated by you."

At once all of the wizard's attention turned upon Asher, and he took three hard steps towards him – The farmer nearly tripped over his feet trying to scramble away. "Why? What is it about you that draws them? What have you done – What have you said – Who are YOU that commands their intrigue so?"

Asher threw up his hands, trying to stave the man off. "I don't know!" He cried, more confused then angry. "That's what you wanted to ask me? I didn't even know what the hell they were until thirty seconds ago! How should I know what they want with me?!" A thought struck him, and at once the anger took center stage. "Fuck, _you're_ the one whose been spying on me! Shouldn't _I_ be the one barking questions here?!"

But this time, Rasmodius did not rise to cease the boys temper – He instead turned away and shook his head. "It is as I feared; this was a fruitless endeavor." Asher opened his mouth to speak but the man turned an icy glare upon him. "Calling for you was a long shot – I didn't truly expect you to know what I wished, but regardless I had to try. The Jumino do not choose their charges lightly; if they have interest in you, then it means you have potential – And that might be enough to warrant your worth."

Asher held his head; the man was talking circles around him and he was barely struggling to keep from screaming. "I have NO IDEA what you want from me right now!"

With a thump of his staff against the ancient wooden floor, Rasmodius dismissed whatever hold he held upon the Jumino – The tiny creature vanished from sight. "What I want, boy, is to put you to work. The Juminos have a destiny laid out for you, and I will see you to it." When it was clear this too explained nothing the man allowed himself a deep sigh. He pinched at the bridge of his nose in clear frustration. "Spare me from city fools and the young... You, boy, are to help the Valley thrive. That farm of yours is the key."

Asher said nothing; he merely took it all in. This was all falling away from him so quickly – The farm was meant to be an escape, not some grand destiny per-ordained by tiny pickle-colored monsters! He wanted refuse – To back out – But somehow he doubted that was an option left before him.

Besides, where would he go after this?

"The Jumino will help you; they have done so since the beginning and I remain sure they will continue to do going forward." The wizard's words resonated within him, and despite everything the farmer could only agree. The Jumino had been a great help to him – Cleaning his clothes, clearing his cabin and helping to stem the tide of debris that lurked all over his farm. Coming here, and seeing this had given him an answer to the mystery bothering him since day one.

But still he felt no better for it. "I just have to fix the farm right? That's it?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Rasmodius stared deeply into the cauldron, as if transfixed. "The day may come when the Jumino may have more for you – Or it may be that the task might yet overwhelm you – But it is your duty to try." He released another breath, shutting his eyes for but a moment before returning to the man a sympathetic glance. "It will not be an easy life."

"So what else is new?" The comment just slipped out, but Asher knew he meant every word of it. He frowned deeply and crossed his arms. "Speaking of which; what am I supposed to think about this? If you know about me – Really know – Then am I just supposed to just act like you don't? It's not the kind of thing I want spread around." In fact, such a thing would ruin his new life here – He'd have no choice but to run, even despite his lack of options.

But somehow, the wizard managed to turn the most paramount problem in his life into a paltry matter; he waved the boy away as though he were a mere nuisance. "That matters not. I told you once boy; I don't care what you are. What you've done holds no consequence to me – Only that you fulfill what the Jumino require of you matters now, for theirs is an ancient magic – A power I respect and revere most deeply." He returned the glare tenfold, "So long as you do not cross them, you will not cross me."

Which meant he was safe – At least for now. If Rasmodius needed him for something, then the wizard would be hard-pressed to rat him out to the townsfolk. Asher allowed himself a reprieve; he was going to be up all night worrying regardless, but at least for the moment he could relax. The horrors slipped away once more and at last he could focus on the task at hand. "Then how do I do... That? How do I know what they want – Hell I couldn't even see the damned things before now!"

"I have pondered over that, and I believe I have the answer." He beckoned for the boy to approach the pot – Something which Asher did after but a moments hesitation. "You see, to see the Jumino as they are – And to be one with their world – You must first become one with the forest. I have lived here all my life; I live and breath the magic they are composed of – But that will not avail you. Instead, I offer this." He reached to one side, and held up a large goblet. Asher's eyes widened.

"Oh you cannot be serious..."

Yet the truth was no other; Rasmodius thrust the goblet deep into the blue-green murk and rose it anew once the cup had been fulled to the brim. "Drink deep, Asher Koll, and you will be one with the forest. Consume this potion, and the Jumino will hide from you no longer." His voice had grown cold and uncaring, yet his words were unforgettable. "Trust in me, and your secret will remain as such."

Asher took the cup, holding it with both hands. He looked from the mixture, to it's creator, then back again. "You swear you won't breathe a word? Not to anyone else?" He felt uncertain – Who knew what the man's brew would do to him? What if it killed him?

"It will be one of two secrets I take to my grave; this I vow. Now – Drink."

Though the farmer now harbored his own curiosities about the man before him, he resigned himself to his fate instead. With a nod he threw back his head and sucked down the contents of the goblet – And at once his head resounded with an explosion of colors. The cup slipped from it's hand – The brew spent in it's entirety – And Asher staggered back, clutching at his skull. "Wha... What's happeni..." The words felt slack and unresponsive as all the world around him receded into the forest of azures and emeralds. The tower slipped away and Rasmodius was nowhere to be seen. For a long moment, Asher doubted that he himself even existed anymore.

Then, without warning, the colors turned to ash, and all the world was blackness.

 **Author's Note: So um... That happened? I really toyed with the idea of revealing just a teensy bit more of Asher's backstory in this chapter, but couldn't really work it in without it feeling distracting from the overall point - But don't worry, we'll get there. I decided to take a different approach to Rasmodius and expand on the way the game presents him. The game kind of stops at him being a hermit who uses magic, so I made him driven by it; his studies and curiousities are his whole world, and no smarmy farmboy is going to get in the way of that.**

 **To Ghostprone52: I adore Leah as well - She was in the top running for who I married in my game as well :D I do plan on expanding about Joja as well, but I'm not 100% sure when yet so stay tuned!**


	9. Chapter 9: Doctor's Orders

**Chapter 9: Doctor's Orders**

It felt like an eternity before Asher opened his eyes once again, and as the world returned to the farmer he realized a great many things all at once. His head stung – No, it felt more like it had swollen to three times it's normal size – And he felt a numbness to his mouth that made him question whether he still had any teeth. The ceiling was white, just like the walls all around him; a clear sign that he was no longer within the wizard's tower. He turned his head, almost losing consciousness from the dizziness and spied a curtain pulled as though to conceal him from prying eyes.

 _'Am I in a hospital?'_ He wondered groggily, eyes still bleary from his near comatose state. _'Does Pelican Town even HAVE a hospital?'_ He half remembered some manner of clinic near Pierre's place; maybe that's where he'd been brought – But even thinking such a thing brought on a slew of new questions. Firstly; who had brought him here – And how long had he been unconscious?

As if on queue, the curtains opened up and a young nurse stepped inside. She was dressed in what he would have expected from someone of her station, with darker skin than almost anyone else in town and glasses that put even his own to shame. Asher silently bit back a curse; where WERE his glasses anyway? He could see alright without them, but even as close as she was there were details about the young woman that seemed fuzzy to his straining eyes. She noticed him trying to sit and quickly rushed to his side; her face was a mix of surprise and concern. "Don't get up!" She cried, gently easing him back down before turning back beyond the curtain, "Doctor Harvey come quickly – He's woken up!"

Asher heard footsteps, and within seconds a man walked briskly into the room. The nurse handed him a clipboard – One that the farmer had somehow missed before – And the doctor quickly looked it over. He was an older man – Perhaps with only a few years upon him – With a finely groomed mustache and spectacles similar to his own. _'Where the hell ARE those things anyway – They'd better not have gotten broken!'_

Count on Rasmodius not to have the decency to catch him after almost poisoning him to death!

With a nod of approval, the doctor moved to take a seat beside his bed. He looked the farmer squarely in the eyes. "Can you tell me your name?"

"Asher." The word came out clearly, though the farmer remained certain his mouth have left his face. "Where am I?"

A smile spread across his caretaker's face. "If your curiosity has returned then we're on the right path. You're in my clinic here in town; my name is Harvey." He gave the nurse a gesture and she stepped forward, gently bowing her head in silent greeting. "This is my nurse, Maru. She's been watching over you since you were brought in."

The words sank in quickly. "What do you mean _brought in_ – Who brought me here?" He couldn't remember – Everything was just a blur of colors and shapes. He couldn't couldn't conceive of Rasmodius making the trip – And especially not for him! It was more likely the man would've used some spell to see him walk the way himself, but clearly even that had been too much to expect.

The two exchanged looks; Maru looked uncertain before Harvey returned to him. "Marnie did. She said she found you passed out on the ground near her farm. She brought you in right away and you've been here ever since."

Another sinking feeling quickly set in. "How long was I out for?"

Harvey looked at his watch before answering. "Since around six last night – So nearly eighteen hours now. I'm a little concerned that you slept so long since your body and blood work show no signs of distress or abnormalities – Do you know what caused you to collapse?"

Somehow Asher doubted the wizard would want him spewing off about his business to the likes of the general populace; the farmer only shook his head. Rasmodius knew his darkest secrets; he felt honor-bound, if nothing else – To try and prove to the man that he had no reason to share them around. _'He's probably watching me right now just for that!'_ The doctor's concern only grew at the lack of explanation, and Asher found himself trying to shrug despite laying so prone. "I really don't remember much of anything – I was out exploring and... Ah, it's just not coming back to me..." He hoped the words were convincing enough; he'd never been good at lying on his feet.

Lying on his back felt even tougher.

Harvey pressed him no further and once more looked over the papers upon the board. "Well, at the very least you're back with us now. Since you're coherent enough to ask questions, I can tell you that beyond this incident you seem to be in relatively good health – Though your blood pressure is awfully high. I would do something about those stress levels, otherwise you might end up back here sooner then you'd like." Despite the harsh news, the man's tone was mostly upbeat; he seemed happy his patient had come around.

But the farmer remained skeptical; he knew how these sorts of things usually worked. "And what is all of this going to cost me?" The doctor's kind demeanor faltered at the words, and his eyebrows rose in stunned surprise. Even Maru managed a gasp – Neither had been expecting him to ask. Asher quickly regretted his blunt tone and tried to shake his head. "I mean... Sorry; sorry, that was rude. I'm still not used to things here..." He turned his head, indicating the rest of the immaculate room with a soft nod. "But all this; your care and your time – It can't be free so... Yeah..."

Maru left the room – Though whether she knew better than to remain, or his accusations had stung her into leaving Asher didn't know. Harvey stood and moved to close the curtains before returning to the bedside chair. "Normally you would be correct Asher. Time and resources are things that, by all accounts, I would charge for; but you were an emergency case from what I could tell, and Pelican Town operates a little bit differently then what you'd usually see in the city." The farmer grew curious, but dared not speak for fear of interrupting the man. Harvey adjusted his glasses and smiled kindly down at him. "We're a community out here, and we help each other out. I may not know you well now, but I'd like to think if there was some manner of emergency, and your farm held the key to resolving it, you'd be quick to lend a hand as well, right?"

Asher hadn't thought of it like that – He quickly nodded before the man's opinion of him could sour. Deep down he wasn't so sure of his good character, but it felt nice to have someone hold some manner of faith in him – Even if it was misjudged. Harvey nodded his approval and stood, gesturing to the table beside the bed. "I've left your possessions in the drawer there; glasses and the like, so you can collect them whenever you like. You should be fine to leave today if that suits you, but I have no issue if you stay one more day just to be sure. Since we don't know what caused your collapse, it could very well happen again, and you'll be safer here then alone on your farm."

The words cut deep; what if he hadn't been found out there? A part of him fumed with rage at the wizard's ineptitude, but just as quickly that anger gave way to more rational thought; Rasmodius was resourceful and crafty. If the man had planned for Asher to leave under his own power then surely he had orchestrated this somehow; he needed him to help the Jumino, so there was little chance of the farmer simply dying under the elements. Asher looked down at the bed upon which he lay; it was comfier then the one on his farm; he could afford to stay one more day, couldn't he?

 _'Shit – My crops!'_

"I should go." He said, moving to rise once more. "If I've been here all night then my crops are probably overheated or... Dry or whatever happens when I don't water them." Harvey gave him a confused glance and Asher flushed. "I'm still new to this; trying not to screw it up..." His livelihood was going to depend on those parsnips before long – He had to make sure they lived to see fruition.

The doctor glanced towards the window, "If that's the case, I won't stop you – But I believe you should have a look outside before you go running off to water anything."

Asher stopped just shy of climbing out of bed – And trying to untangle his legs from the blankets at the same time. He turned, following the look, and spied the window; it was splattered with rain and, even as he watched, more continued to assault the building from without. The droplets looked cool and refreshing; the farmer eased himself down with a shallow grin. "Well... Then I guess... Guess I'll just stay here?" He looked back as Harvey tried to hide a smirk before making for the door.

With the curtain now pulled back, Asher had a better view of the room; it was full of charts and medical supplies – Stacked neatly atop the various tables along the walls. Just beyond the cordoned off area he slept in was a long table with a cushion built atop it – He remembered something about doctors using it for examinations as a child and quickly shirked away from staring. The room held no one else now; he wondered why they'd bothered with the curtain at all.

 _'Maybe it was just so that this wouldn't overwhelm me when I woke up?'_ There was no one to ask; he could do little beyond accept his thoughts as truth. Outside the room the rainstorm raged on, and there was a part of him that wished he was out walking about – But getting sick would have done him little good going forward. Even if his crops had been cared for by the elements – And he could only pray they didn't drown in the downpour and die anyway – He would still have work to do come tomorrow. Pierre had said the parsnips would take four days.

That meant he'd have a busy morning ahead of him.

The longer that idle the more he regretted his decision to remain; there was nothing to do! Asher looked about but failed even to spy a even a single thing to occupy his growing boredom. _'What kind of hospital doesn't have a TV?'_ He frowned. With a sigh, the farmer closed his eyes and tried to sleep – Rest might help cure his mounting headache, after all.

Yet after several long minutes he was just as awake as ever. "Screw it – This isn't working..." He rose with a few shaky steps off the bed – Still the room seemed to spin at his very glance, but at least it was becoming easier to focus. He fumbled his way into the drawer and felt the telltale glasses that lurked within – And cried at alarm at their state. "Rasmodius you-" The wizard truly had left him just hit the floor, hadn't he? The pair hadn't broken – Small mercy that – But one lens had cracked, giving him a nasty distraction through which to view the world. He muttered a curse and collected his wallet and other possessions, all the while wondering in what way he could best stick it to the wizard in return for the slight.

He thought once more of what had happened within that tower, sighed, and turned his thoughts elsewhere – It simply wasn't worth going to war with a man who could destroy him in an instant.

Asher left the room, gaining a curious stare from the doctor who stood just behind the counter. He had been talking with Maru but both turned their attention upon him the moment he dared to show his face. "Changed your mind?" Harvey asked, though his face showed he already knew the answer. Asher grimaced; suddenly embarrassed by the attention.

"I... Yeah. I was getting bored – Couldn't sleep. Figured I'd head home and spare you folks the trouble, you know?" Smooth Asher; like they won't worry just because you're out of eyesight. He scratched at the back of his head, "I mean, I'm sure I'll be alright, you know?" He tried with every ounce to sound convincing; the last thing he wanted to do was have them come check on him later. "I'll come back if something happens though."

That HAD to work.

Somehow it did – Or seemed to, at the very least – And Harvey gave him a soft nod. He told the farmer to wait as he turned and headed into a back room, vanishing for several minutes before at last returning. "Here, take this." He handed the farmer a card, which Asher was quick to accept. "It's the number to the office here. I wrote my own as well – If you experience any dizziness or other problems, call me immediately and I'll come and get you. Your farm isn't far, but it's still not safe to have you walking about if you can't handle it." The farmer hid his surprise well – He managed a nod even despite the obvious truth forming in his mind.

He didn't have a phone anymore.

"Sure; I'll do that." He'd be fine; he knew what caused the collapse and it wasn't as though he'd be lining up to try more of the murky mixture Rasmodius had given him. _'Tasted like shit anyway...'_ He offered them both a small wave and turned to leave when the door opened of it's own accord, and a parasol pushed it's way inside.

"Sorry!" Cried a familiar voice as the item was quickly closed, and a dripping Penny looked up at them all. Her eyes widened in some surprise, seeing the farmer there before her, but she quickly turned her attentions to the pair behind the counter. "Doctor Harvey I..." She flushed red with embarrassment, "I know I shouldn't ask you but I..." Her eyes kept trickling back to Asher, making the boy more and more uncomfortable each time. Whatever she wanted to say his presence was clearly keeping her from doing it. The doctor didn't force her; he waited patiently until she tried again. "I need your help. It's... It's mother again – She needs to go home; she's fallen asleep at the bar again and I can't move her alone and..." Her cheeks reddened all the more; the farmer tried to look away to spare her. "No one else wants to get near her... Not after the last time..."

"You mean when she gave Clint that black eye?" Maru piped up, before quickly clamping a hand over her face. Harvey shot the girl a dirty look – A sign she should have known better – While Penny herself hid her face in her hands. Asher frowned at the discomfort weighing so heavily in the room – The girl was clearly embarrassed, and now it had been brought out in full before a perfect stranger.

Harvey himself looked none to eager to get involved. He rubbed at his arm, looking awkwardly away. "I could... I suppose I could try? I can't imagine I'd be of much help though – Especially if Clint or Gus aren't able to get her moving..." It was a weak excuse; one that Asher saw right through. With the strength of two the job could be done, but the man was merely afraid of the slumbering woman and didn't want to risk angering her. Penny looked on the verge of despair when the farmer indicated the door.

"I'll do it."

The offer caught them all unaware; the quiet girl before him only stared back in surprise. "You – Asher? Are you sure? I'd really appreciate it but..." Her eyes trailed to Maru; the girl's words remained fresh in all their minds. "I don't want to trouble you; mother can be..." She fought for the word, clearly overcome by it all. "She can be difficult and..."

But he had already heard enough, and gently moved passed her towards the door. "It's fine; if she takes a swing she takes a swing – I've suffered worse." The words weren't untrue, though even despite them he didn't relish the thought of being knocked out by someone in his first week here – Let alone for trying to help. He opened the door and, after a moment of staring up at the rain, glanced back towards Penny. "Might want to hold that thing a little tighter; the rain seems to have gotten you anyway."

"Asher, you shouldn't strain yourself – Really, I can..." Harvey tried to intervene, but the farmer merely waved him off; he was good enough for this, and if nothing else he could prove that the doctor's faith in him was at least somewhat well deserved.

"I can handle it – Don't worry." He offered Penny a reassuring nod, "Lead on."

They walked in silence; Penny seemed unable to find the words to say to him. He didn't expect any; and instead merely enjoyed the cool night air upon his skin. The doctor's office had been a stuffy thing – He'd sweated through the night and likely smelled awful as a result; this was a nice contrast. The saloon was but a short distance away and before he knew it he was following the girl inside.

Sure enough, the older matron he had spied the other day was Penny's mother – She was lying face down upon the bar, one hand wrapped firmly around the handle of a mug while the other banged sleepily upon the counter top as she muttered something about a refill. If Penny had seemed sad before, she looked almost moved to tears by the sight before her. Those around the bar looked away in shame, though none looked anymore inclined to help. Gus called a greeting to Asher, as though he were just another customer but when the farmer indicated the slumbering burden the proprietor merely nodded and returned to his duties.

Penny approached first, trying and take hold of her mother by the arm and pull her from her stupor. "Mother... Come on now – It's time to go home and-"

"Shove off!" Though clearly inebriated the woman still held the power to throw her daughter bodily to the floor. Penny hit the floorboards with a hard thud, crying out in surprise and pain – And more than a little embarrassment as the matriarch looked away bitterly. "Gus! Another!" She continued to slam the mug atop the counter. Emily rushed to the girl's side, helping her to her feet but from the looks upon both of their faces this was not the first time for such an incident.

It was unlikely to be the last either.

Gus turned to her; his face a mix of painful emotions. "Pam, you're cut off. I've told you that – Emily's told you that. You need to go home and sleep; you're making a scene here." He looked around the saloon for support, but everyone else appeared preoccupied by their drinks. Asher frowned; was this was passed for community here? Was everything just so much hot air?

Angry, Pam turned an icy glare on the rest, "What do you all know anyway? I ain't the one makin' no scene – You all just... You just..." Asher finally decided to step forward, coming to stand beside the woman as she turned her hazy, bitter eyes upon him. "Who the FUCK are you now? Come to try and take me home?" She poked his chest hard with the mug – The farmer flinched but otherwise held his ground. "Think yer tough? Think yer some big ma- HEY CLINT!" She spied the blacksmith seated further back behind. "Whassamatter wit you now? Too scared to try'n move me?!"

Penny held back a sob as Emily gently tried to reassure her; Asher's frowned deepened all the more. "Miss; I think it's time for you to-"

His words stopped short as she struck him with a balled fist – It knocked the wind from his body and sent the boy reeling back a step. Pam tried to stand and, barely able to keep her footing, held onto the counter with both hands. The mug fell from her fingertips and clattered upon the floor; had it been made of anything save for wood, it likely would've shattered from the impact. The woman swayed back and forth and shook a fist in his direction; Asher grimaced at the sight. "You don't fuckin' know me kid – Who do you think you are anyway? I oughta hit yah again and teach yah som-"

This time, he cut her off. "Go ahead then." Asher sucked down a deep breath – And just as quickly prepared to lose it – And stood tall once more before her. Hunched as she was, she was nearly a head shorter then him now; if her punches went any lower he wouldn't be able to maintain the facade but somehow merely standing here was the best idea he had. "Hit me all you want; I don't give a damn about that; but sooner or later you need to realize enough is enough." He gently kicked the mug with his foot, drawing her attention down towards it. "You wanna drink? That's fine. No one's trying to stop you – But you're being a damn fool by putting yourself under with the stuff. You can't drink when you're dead lady." She snarled at the remark and Asher braced himself for the onslaught.

 _'It's just pain...'_ She hit him again, even harder this time, and the punch nearly crumpled him to his knees. _'You can take pain – After all the crap you've endured pain is nothing.'_ The next hit rattled his teeth – NOW he could feel the blasted things! His headache felt all the worse, but still he endured; the woman faltered once, barely catching herself upon the bar. She screamed something he didn't hear; he was too busy focusing on his thoughts. _'She can only hit you, but she can't break you. You're already broken Asher; you're here to fix that, and she can't stop you. Do this; make your peace with it, and show these people they can't fuck with you.'_

Asher grinned, and as Pam moved to hit him again, he stood up.

The fight fell from her as he stared her down. Asher wiped the blood from his lip. The crack on his lens had broken away entirely and now the second bore signs of the scuffle as well. As calmly as he dared, Asher removed his lens and looked down at them; they were useless now. Broken like he was. He tossed them atop the counter. "Done then?" The woman said nothing and Asher nodded his approval. "Good. Go home Pam; sleep it off. The booze will still be here tomorrow." He gave the barkeep a look – One of questioning on the matter – But Gus was too stunned to even reply. All around him people stared, and it was all the farmer could do to keep from faltering now. His whole body ached – How many times had she hit him? Where did she get the strength?!

But he couldn't show weakness; not now. It would destroy the message he was trying to send if he crumpled. Pam said nothing; her eyes fell to the floor and she trudged slowly passed him. She made for the door, sputtered our a weak, halfhearted curse and made her way into the night. Penny rushed after her, slowing only as she passed him by; her eyes were red from the tears – And just like that she was gone without a word.

No one dared to speak – Until Emily moved to stand beside him. "Are... Are you alright?" Asher knelt, wincing as his ribs cried out in pain, and retrieved the discarded cup. He looked down into it; spying the last few droplets of whatever the woman had consumed. His head still rattled from the blows and with a cold, satisfied look her spat whatever blood that was loose in his mouth into the mug before placing it firmly upon the bar. He stared at it for several long seconds before at last returning to Emily – He gave her a smile of reassurance.

"I think I'll take that drink now."

 **Author's Note: Somehow the end of this chapter became a regular Jerry Springer escapade by the end of it - How'd that happen? I knew going into this that I'd have Pam being a problematic person - It's always kind of the vibe I got from her in the game; she's depressed and lashing out through alcohol, but naturally the game never goes to that extreme. It's scary stuff.**


	10. Chapter 10: The Morning After

**Chapter 10: The Morning After**

If Asher had held any hopes that he wouldn't wake up sore, his aching body was all to quick to remind him of the previous night's mistakes. He groaned audibly as he sat up upon his head, clutching his head with one hand and his ribs with the other. The night had taken it's toll on him – And now he was going to pay for it.

Gus had insisted on copping him for the drink – A small gesture to make up for his brazen gesture of help in dealing with Pam. He'd apologized up and down until the farmer had all but demanded the man stop and, only a little after finishing his drink, Asher had headed for home. He'd had to insist to the others he could make the trip even despite his newly acquired injuries, but even as he walked he couldn't shake the feeling that some had followed him anyway.

Their kindness wasn't needed – They could've stepped in at any time.

The room bustled with activity even as he moved to rise – And the sudden movements all around him made him freeze mid-step. Asher's eyes widened as he looked about the tiny cottage, for no matter where he looked he saw... _Them_. "Holy shit..." Jumino! They were all over the place – At once the words of Rasmodius suddenly made much more sense; he could see them now for what they were.

Strangely, the creatures seemed not to notice him, even as he made to rise. Wary, he took a few cautious steps, but the tiny creatures moved unstintingly around him, as though they held no fear for the wayward giant stomping among them. In fact, whenever his foot grew too near one they simply walked _through_ him – Passing through his body as though he weren't there at all! Asher marveled with curious fascination, standing and watching until one in particular caught his eye. A single Jumino – Emerald in color – Had climbed aboard his nightstand and stood watching him from the table. The farmer looked back, raising an eyebrow, before leaning in close.

"Hi there." He tried; the creature blinked twice in quick succession.

It made no other move to communicate. "Are you..." He tried to think of what to ask, but his mind was a blank. Did he ask for a name, or a purpose? Was he meant to ask them what they expected of him? Asher frowned deeply – This was all too much! After the night he'd had the farmer wished only to take things slow, but his home seemed a hive of activity – It was overwhelming! The only solace came from the realization that, even as the Jumino scurried about – Tending to the cleaning and tidying of the cottage around him – They were utterly silent. Even after cleaning his clothes for the day ahead he somehow heard nothing; almost like he'd awoken from some crazy dream.

"What do I do?" He asked the staring sprite atop his table. Still his whole body felt wracked with pain; could he even DO anything like this? In answer, the Jumino hopped down from the table and quickly scurried to the door. The mere sight of the tiny creature brought a smile to his face; it was adorable to watch them move! With their round frames, the Jumino could barely manage a run – Rather they waddled from side to side whenever they moved, yet this seemed not to slow them in the slightest.

The green one vanished as it touched the door, leading the farmer to believe it had ventured outside without him. As quickly as he dared he dressed and grabbed for the watering can – Which already had been filled by their tiny hands. _'I should probably grab more but... This should do for now.'_ He gave the other tools a single look – Like the rest of the cabin, these too had been cleaned to perfection over the course of the night – And finally headed outside.

At once he breathed a sigh of relief; the rain had done nothing to damage his crops. Indeed they looked almost ready to pluck! The very tops of the small, yellowed vegetables already rose to greet him and as he approached he knew – Somehow, even despite his inexperience – That tomorrow was the day. He set to watering his charges, all the while keeping an eye out for the Jumino from before, but everywhere he looked he saw other colors of the tiny creatures hard at work. It almost felt as though they had formed teams of some sort, for a small group of blue Juminos had taken to fishing trash out of the pond near the cottage, while a group of red ones focused their attention on splitting logs for easier transport. To one side he even spied a great many gray Jumino circled around a large boulder cropping out of the ground – They bore no tools, but as they hopped and danced about the rock it slowly began to crack and break away. Asher bit back a curse as it was eventually reduced to stones no bigger than his fist.

 _'What the hell have I gotten myself into?'_ Movement from below ensnared his attention; Asher glanced down to see the green Jumino once more; it was perched on the tip of his watering can and watching him with interest. He stared at it curiously, "You again. Ready to tell me what I need to do?"

It's stare told him nothing, yet he received no other answer alongside it. With a sigh, Asher returned to the deck and took a seat on the stairs. His body was in no shape to pull rocks or chop wood – What was he supposed to do? He sat, glumly watching the Jumino work, and every so often his attention shifted down to the green one that seemed all but fixated on his person. The farmer considered how different it seemed from the rest. "You need a name." He decided as his eyes trailed about the landscape around him. He came to notice the scarecrow, diligently watching for further attacks from above and at once returned to the Jumino. "I think I'll call you Hank."

If the creature cared, it gave no sign. It watched him for several minutes more, but when it became apparent that Asher was not going to move, it eventually hopped from it's perch and went to rejoin the rest. The farmer felt slighted, frowning deeply at the sudden dismissal. "Well... Alright then – See you later, I guess?" Whatever Rasmodius had given him clearly lacked the desired effect! Sure, he could see the creatures now, but without anyway to talk to them how much good did that do him, really? He considered returning to the tower and asking the man more about it, but footsteps from the roadside quickly drew him away from any such ideas.

Asher looked up in time to see Penny walking down the trail towards him, though she seemed almost to freeze in place the moment he spotted her. She flushed, looking downcast with embarrassment and hesitated to take even one more step. She barely moved, seeming almost to reconsider her decision, before at last daring to approach. With a meek wave, she called out a greeting. "Good... Good morning Asher..." The words felt forced; she hadn't come here for pleasantries alone. "How are..." Her eyes locked with his own and the shame returned to her in full.

Penny looked away just as quickly, holding back a cringe – Did he truly look so bad? Until now the farmer hadn't considered any lasting damage, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized how obvious that should have been. Pam had hit him hard – And repeatedly. Her assault had broken his glasses at the least but he hadn't thought much beyond that. Without a mirror handy, he had no way to find out for sure – Not unless someone told him anyway. "I'm so... I'm sorry..."

The tension was unbearable, and Asher found he had no idea what to say. His offer to help the girl had been genuine, and even if he had overstepped his bounds last night, he hadn't expected her to come with an apology. In his mind, it was already in the past – A done deal – But clearly Penny hadn't seen it that way at all.

He wondered what Pam thought of it.

The girl refused to look at him; it somehow made him feel all the worse. He tried to think, but the words simply didn't come – Instead, he laughed, and the sound roused her from her embarrassment. "Some night, right? Remind me never to pick a fight with your ma for real." The words were stupid and childish – He regretted them the moment they left his lips.

But for their flaws, they at least got Penny to speak. She took another step forward, making fists with her hands, "Don't... I mean... It's not funny Asher – You could've been... I mean..." It was clear such confrontations were beyond her; it made him wonder how she was at home. If Pam pushed her to such extremes often, it was little wonder she was having such a hard time now – Her confidence was simply _gone_.

 _'But then, she was fine the other day...'_ Surely there was something to that?

"I didn't think she'd... I thought mother knew better then to hit anyone again... I'm so sorry Asher." She sniffled, fighting back the tears as she watched him. "I had to come and make sure you weren't..." But he was, and it was clear now that it showed. Penny was at a loss; what could he say to appease her.

The farmer looked away; he glanced out at the farm and watched the Jumino work it in his stead. Somehow, the heated discussion bothered them not in the least – Yet Penny seemed not to notice the gradual clearing of mess happening around her. "Hell of a thing, isn't it?" It was time to change the subject, and the girl looked just as surprised as he was. Asher pointed out towards the farm; she turned to look as well. "Feels like it'll take years to a make a dent in all of this but... Well, you can't quit doing something just because it's hard."

"Asher, what are you..."

At last, he latched onto something – Some way to bring it together. "Some things you can't control Penny. I didn't know about the state of the farm when I moved out here, and you didn't know how things would go when you needed help, but we just have to roll with whatever life throws at us. That's just how it is." He offered her a smile, and it seemed almost to reassure her. "You don't have to apologize – I mean, shit happens. Your mom got home safely, right?" He quickly realized he hadn't yet asked such a thing, but her slow nod helped to solidify his point all the more. "Then that's what matters."

"But you got hurt!" Penny caught herself as she yelled, but too slowly to stop the words echoing across the debris-laden farm. She flushed anew before moving to stand closer to him and try again. "I mean... You got hurt because..." Again, the tears look on the verge of coming, and it was all she could do to wipe them away. "She shouldn't have hit you – You shouldn't have gotten hurt because... Because of me. Because of us."

Asher frowned, unsure of what next to say. It was easy to claim he'd suffered through worse – He actually _had_ – But doing so would only sound like a brag, and do nothing to appease the girl's guilt. Instead, he gave the spot beside him a gentle pat, offering to let her sit. Penny looked reluctant, but shuffled forward after another moment of consideration. She stared at him with worried, emerald-eyes and for a moment the farmer all but lost what little concentration he still had. "I can't tell you how to feel." He told her simply, frowning all the more at his own words. "You're going to feel bad about what happened no matter how much I tell you not to – That makes you pretty decent. Means you've got good morals." Where the hell was he going with this? "Probably got those from your ma, right?"

The question shocked her; Penny touched her chest and looked down with some uncertainty. "I... I guess..?"

"Then she can't be all bad. Listen; I don't know what she's going through to make her lash out like that – But it's not fair to try and shoulder that burden by yourself. I saw this kind of thing a lot back in the city; people dragged down by friends or family going through... Hell, I don't know. But when people act out like that someone else usually had to pay for it." He tried not to think about his own mistakes – And the people he'd left behind. A flashed of _her_ face raced through his mind; Asher's sour mood showed plainly on his face, and he aimed down at the dirt. "But... There isn't any reason to deal with that shit by yourself, you know?"

Penny said nothing; she thought carefully about his words as she wiped at her eyes. The farmer gave her a sidelong glance, nodding his head ever so slightly. "There was probably a million ways I could've dealt with Pam last night, and I chose the wrong one. I do that sometimes. But it got her to leave, and that helped you out." At last the smile broke through – One that he could only hope would be contagious. "You can feel bad if you want but... I'd call that a win."

The look of surprise upon her was genuine; whatever she had expected to come from the visit, this was clearly not it. "How... How can you be so calm about this?" Her voice was shaky, as though she could scarcely believe any of this herself. "You should be... Mad! Furious! I... I don't know what... I don't know HOW you aren't fuming right now..." Again, her eyes lingered on his face, and he found himself reddening at the stare. "It looked so painful..."

"It'll heal."

But Penny only shook her head. She opened her mouth to argue further, but something made her stop. She looked again, turning her head ever so slightly and examining his features as though for the first time. A part of him wanted to look away, but Asher found he lacked the will to do even that. "... You're sure? Really sure that... That you're not mad? That..." He was already nodding, but she wanted to finish even despite that. "I'm grateful. Truly. I... I was so sure I'd made a mess of things by asking you and... I mean; I've barely slept I was so worried and..." Her words gradually quieted as they devolved into murmurs. Asher strained to hear, and she jumped at the suddenly attention.

Cheeks reddened by the embarrassment, Penny quickly hopped to her feet – And nearly pitched off the stairs in the process. "I-" The near fall had jostled her hair, sending bangs tumbling down in front of her face. She straightened, quickly moving to fix her hair as she spoke. "Thank you... Really; for everything. I'll find some way to make it up to you – I will!" She added, before he could dare to interrupt. Her gaze turned steely, and the farmer realize she would not be talked out it. Reluctantly he nodded, and at last her smile came back – He'd missed that smile.

Somehow, seeing her happy like that almost made it all worthwhile.

 **Author's Note: A bit of a short one this time, but hopefully it still made you happy to read it! Obviously there had to be some kind of resolution after a night like that, but we still have yet to see Pam's reaction to it all. I really hope I got Penny's nervousness and shyness down a bit better this time; I'm aiming to try and make her just as loveable as she is in the game! :D**


	11. Chapter 11: Fealty To One

**Chapter 11: Fealty To One**

After saying goodbye to Penny – And watching her as she made the walk back towards town – Asher found himself just as lost as before. What was he meant to do with his day in the state he was in? With the help of the Jumino the farm would endure without his hand for the day – If not longer – And now that the crops had been watered he had only to ensure he was well enough to harvest tomorrow. _'Which means I'll need to go into town...'_ Pierre would be wanting his pick of the litter – Provided there was anything good enough to pick through in the first place.

Of course, there was always the crate as well. Asher glanced at the large wooden box; Lewis had told him of the container's use, but somehow he still doubted things would work as smoothly as the man claimed. All he had to do was put something inside, and the next morning the money earned would be awaiting him. The farmer had no idea where he would have to claim it from, but as his eyes trailed towards the mailbox, he decided it was the best answer for his query.

Asher stood, relieving himself from his thoughts; he was tired of sitting and doing nothing. If his body refused the work then he would simply do something else. The land around him was, little by little, becoming his own – It was being reclaimed from mother nature's brash onslaught – But a farm was more then merely crops. He'd need to build before too long. _'What was it grandfather told me?'_ He wondered as he watched a group of six Jumino lift a great mighty log from the dirt and hoist it towards others for the ceremony that would see it chopped down. _'It had to do with the animals...'_

He snapped his fingers as the memory came surging back. As quickly as he dared, he ventured inside and, after dropping off the watering can, rushed back out the door.

It had taken some time – As well as directions from Pierre who was taking a break outside of his store – But Asher at last found himself staring up at Robin's grand home. His eyes widened some as he marveled at it; the building was a truly magnificent piece. The shopkeeper had noted it as well when he'd asked; apparently the woman had built it all herself. _'Impressive!'_ He nodded his approval before approaching the door. He knocked hard upon the door before taking a step back to wait.

Within moments there was movement from the other side, and not a second later the door opened – A familiar face appeared to greet him. "Oh, Asher!" It was Maru; seeing her here surprised him. "How are yo-" She stopped short, adjusting her glasses as she studied him more curiously; the smile died upon her face, and was quickly replaced by a look of surprise and frustration. "I thought you were supposed to take things easy until you were better – What happened to you?"

One of these days he would need to buy a mirror – But in truth Asher was more surprised by how slowly the news was spreading. He had expected everyone to know what had transpired at the saloon, but the mere fact that Maru didn't gave him hope that some embarrassment might yet be spared. Spreading the story would only bring trouble – Either for him, or for Pam. ' _And then Penny gets dragged in...'_ He couldn't do that; the girl didn't deserve it. "It's nothing – Took a bad fall, that's all."

The young nurse crossed her arms, eyeballing him skeptically. "A fall gave you a black eye?"

"I have a black eye?!"

Another voice called from the interior, asking after the visitor – But before Maru could even answer, Robin appeared from behind her. "Maru, I asked who was at the – Oh! Asher, hello! What brings you he-" Her question died as she took in the state of him. Gently, the woman rubbed at her chin, looking over the farmer from top to bottom. "You lose a fight?"

The accusation hit close to home, but he quickly waved it off. "That's not- It doesn't matter." His refusal served only to annoy Maru, but mercifully she stepped back inside now that Robin had arrived; whatever she thought of him mattered little in the long run. Asher wasn't obligated to tell them anything, was he? "I actually came to see you – I didn't know you'd have..." He watched the younger girl disappear into the household. "Company?"

Robin turned as well, before a small grin overcame her. She barely managed to stifle a laugh as she stepped out of the building and closed the door behind her. "Asher – Maru is my daughter! Didn't you know that?"

The revelation surprised the man, though ultimately he wasn't sure why. He'd known young mothers in the city, and Robin barely looked much older then he was now – Even if she took definite pride in her appearances it wasn't unheard of that she could be a mother at all. The farmer flushed with embarrassment as Robin placed her hands on her hips. "So, what did you need?"

Right! "I'm probably going to be looking into getting some things built around the farm, but I don't even know where to begin with that. Figured you'd be the best place to start." Her eyes seemed to light up at the mere prospect of her craft, and Asher was quick to raise his hands to stop her anticipation. "I don't know WHEN yet, mind you – It'll take time to get the supplies and tools and... Hell, the money too I suppose." He frowned, trying to picture the vision more clearly in his head. "What's it take to build a silo, anyway?"

It was something Vernan had told him long ago; too many farmers fell into the beginners trap of rushing themselves headfirst into raising animals – The draw of all that surplus income the creatures brought was simply too alluring. But prioritizing such things came with a cost – Winter could all but ruin the unprepared in matters of farming, and Asher had all that a veritable bounty growing on his land, just waiting to be stored for whatever critters he would one day acquire. All he needed was a place to store the excess until he built a barn or a coop – Anything to house some critters, really – Then he wouldn't have to feed them out of pocket. _'Smart man; I miss him...'_

Robin looked thoughtful, as though she were carefully considering his question. "Honestly? Not much – Wouldn't even take that long either. I could probably build a silo in about... Two days, maybe? Provided the weather stays agreeable like this." She grinned wide, clearly proud of herself – But Asher wasn't so sure.

"I wasn't... I mean – I thought I'd go about it myself, you know? Wouldn't that be the cheap option?" He was just starting out; why rush himself into ruin by paying premium.

The words lacked any punch, and the woman before him shook her head, crushing any resistance he had. "I wouldn't advise it – Not if you want the thing to last anyway." He wanted to object, but Robin kept right on talking. "Asher, if you don't know anything about carpentry you're just setting yourself up for a disaster later. It might be cheaper to take a swing at it yourself, but I promise you you'll overlook some tiny detail and the thing wouldn't last out the winter." The grin faded, but the smile that remained was genuine. For as much of a stranger as she was, Asher didn't believe she was stringing him along; she was trying to help.

It took the wind out of his sails, and he nodded in understanding. "I guess I... Hadn't considered that." He had, of course, but convincing himself of his own abilities had been an easy thing to do. Now, faced with an obvious expert on building, it was much harder for his bravado to carry him into decisions. "You really think it'd only take two days?" That would give him a massive amount of time with which to shred the mess upon his farm – And stockpile it for later.

"I think so, yes. You just tell me when you want it done and I'll come right out." He indicated the truck parked nearby; a large, sturdy beast already filled in the back with lumber and supplies – It was as though the vehicle itself were eager to get started. "You still have my number, right?"

 _'Damn!'_ Asher turned away, suddenly embarrassed – Of course Robin of all people had to ask. Hers was just about the only number he HAD held – Before destroying his phone anyway. Sadly, he shook his head. "I... Uh... I dropped my phone. Broke the damn thing into pieces." He rubbed his shoulder nervously, unable to look her in the eyes. "Haven't gotten around to replacing it yet. Too busy." Pierre hadn't had any either – He wasn't even sure where to get one now.

Robin looked thoughtful for a moment, before telling him to wait. Asher said nothing as the woman returned to her home, leaving him alone outside for several minutes. The farmer took the time to look about, once more admiring all of the heart the carpenter had crafted into her homestead – His eyes trailed off to the ridge just above her rooftop.

Someone was there; staring down at him.

The farmer made a face, squinting his eyes and trying to make out the watcher – But all he could see was a blurry mix of yellow and white; just who the hell was he looking at anyway? Whoever it was, they said nothing as they stared back – And no sooner did Robin return then the person turned and disappeared beyond the ridge. "Here." The woman smiled as she pressed something into his hands. "It's a bit old but..." Asher looked down – A laugh barely escaped him.

"A rotary phone? These things still exist?" His mother had owned one during his childhood – But it felt like an eternity since he'd even laid eyes on such a thing. The carpenter smirked and shrugged her shoulders.

""I told you it's old." She readily admitted, "I don't really like to throw anything away; this was either my dad's or my granddad's at one point, but it's not doing any good sitting around collecting dust in my basement." So saying she leaned in close, taking in a deep breath before blowing away the layer of gray that had all but coated the machine – The dust blew across Asher, who could only squint bitterly in response. "I think Lewis had a line made out to the farm in case you brought a landline with you; shouldn't be too hard to figure out how to set it up."

Of that, the farmer had little doubt. While his new profession still left him largely baffled, something like a telephone was much more up his alley. His whole world had been machines and technology before leaving the city – And as ancient as the item was, he was more then a little excited to have a taste of it once more. "Thanks Robin." He said, hefting the phone and giving it a small shake. "I'll be sure to call once I'm ready for that silo." With his business now concluded, the farmer turned to make for home.

Though he was nearly halfway there when he realized the obvious – Her number was still in his phone. His smashed – Utterly destroyed – Cellphone. "Dammit!"

By the time he had returned to the farm the Jumino were nowhere in sight. Whether they had all retreated into his cottage or merely faded away until the next morning he could only guess at – Though if it was the former he would surely find out soon enough. Even from a distance, however, he could make out the shape of someone awaiting him on the deck – A stranger that he didn't recognize.

The farmer stopped, quickly shuffling back a step while he considered his options – His mind raced with possibilities. _'Another resident?'_ There were still people here he hadn't met yet – Surely this had to be one of them. Lewis had gone on and on about how people wanted to meet him, and after several days of waiting it was likely at least one would've run out of patience and come to scope him out for themselves.

 _'But what if..?'_ There was no way – Was there? Could someone have followed him all the way here – Tracked him down the second he'd dropped his guard? He looked about the ground for something – Anything – To hold in case they came at him, but the notion died just as quickly as he thought it; what was he, crazy? How would it look if he went in swinging with a branch or a rock and it turned out to be just another well-wisher? The person stood almost eerily still – Like they were used to doing little else – Only occasionally looking down at their arm; checking the time more than likely.

Asher frowned; he was being ridiculous! He was safe here! He'd shaken off anyone who could be bothered to pursue him – And not one soul knew where he'd fled. The farmer straightened, took a breath, and approached.

The stranger was a man; a large, broad-shouldered sort of fellow who all but beamed upon seeing him. He wore a black suit, with studious glasses and nicely combed dark hair. His fingers twitched with excitement as he stepped gingerly down off the deck and hurried to meet him. "Mister Koll?" He called out merrily, waving a greeting as he jogged towards him. Asher offered only a curious stare, but as he did he noticed a vehicle parked not far away.

A large van, with the unmistakable Joja logo painted on the side of it.

 _'Oh, THIS should be fun...'_

Offering a hand before he'd even finished walking, the man was quick to introduce himself. "Good DAY to you sir! My name is Morris and I represent the fine Joja corporation." He rattled off something further about how amazing the company was, but all Asher could focus on was the over sized red bow-tie the man wore – Did he moonlight as a clown? By the time he could tear his eyes away from it, the man had stopped talking – And was staring at him as though waiting for something.

 _'Oh fuck, he asked me a question, didn't he?'_ The farmer blinked and rubbed at his shoulder, frowning slightly. "What was that? It's been a long day – I think I missed that..."

A momentary look of annoyance crossed over his features, but Morris quickly recovered. "As I was saying, mister Koll, I believe Joja mart easily houses everything to make a farm like this prosper – And quickly at that! Why, we've helped thousands of folks just like yourself with their everyday needs – And as we're always expanding we've grown to accommodate whatever specific or exotic item you might desire."

It was a sales pitch of the most transparent; Asher had to forcibly hold back a laugh. He'd heard it before – Nearly word for word – Not long ago. Hell he'd help _her_ PRACTICE it! The farmer's frown deepened and her offered a small shake of his head. "I think I'll be alright here. The shop in town seems pretty good; I'll manage." His piece said, the farmer headed for the house.

But it was never going to be that easy. Morris, with hands on his hips, chuckled lightly as he shook his head in disagreement. "That tiny place? My dear mister Koll I implore you – See reason! What can a simple mom-and-pop shop offer you to ensure loyalty when all of Joja exists solely to make your life easier." He didn't wait for the farmer's rebuttal and instead took a few steps towards the mess, pointing to a particularly nasty patch of tangled weeds. "Look here; the new Joja hand thresher would cut clear through this; no fuss! That boulder over there? Why, our tools would make dealing with such a thing but a thought – They're crafted for the strongest metals I'll have you know!"

"I'll bet." Asher had reached the deck, but rather then simply going inside, he turned and leaned upon the porch, watching as the floundering man attempted to sway him even further.

To his surprise, however, Morris looked much more aware of his disgust then he would he pegged the man for – Perhaps he, unlike others in his company, had faced rejection before? The representative adjusted his glasses carefully. "I would advise you to consider the future of your land, sir." He offered a dismissive nod towards his crops – To his makeshift scarecrow in particular. "Such a trifle will not see you through the merciless crows that prowl the valley. Without one of our patented Jojamart scarecrows... Why, I doubt you'd be able to see any crops to fruition!"

At this, Asher raised an eyebrow; this was certainly a new tactic. He'd never known a businessman to make things personal so quickly – Or hadn't Morris been able to guess the scarecrow's origin? Impatient for a final point, the farmer drummed his fingers along the deck's banister, gently shaking his head in the man's direction. _'He's either going to leave, or push me. What's it going to be?'_

Asher almost hoped for the latter.

As if hearing the silent request, the man stalked towards him; Morris' expression darkened. "I had hoped the new farmboy would show more sense then this – It's almost like you want to see this land die!" He crossed his arms and turned up his nose as Asher continued to smile.

The words turned his thoughts to the Jumino – If only Morris knew... They, if nothing else, were surely the phenomenon that Pierre had spoken of before. For whatever reason the Jumino must've hated Jojamart – Or at the very least they avoided them – For they could tend the land better then any man ever could. But when the market had swallowed up the smaller farms, the Jumino had quit in disgust – And left it to fallow until the farmers saw reason and reclaimed it as their own.

Of course, he could only guess how much of it was true, but to Asher it made sense. _'Well then Hank; I hope you're watching right now...'_ Morris glared impatiently for a final decision, as though Asher hadn't already refused him thrice already. The farmer shifted his gaze from the man before him to the ocean-blue van with that nauseating logo scribbled on the side – Even seeing the mark of Joja turned his stomach now. "They paying you a lot to try and get this land, I take it?" He asked, not even dignifying the man enough to look at him as he spoke. "Probably a big, juicy promotion if you get all of this signed over to Joja."

"I beg your pardon!"

Asher shook his head. "No, I don't think that you do. See, you're real obvious Morris – With as much farmland as I have here, it's bound to be impossible to manage it all myself, so that's where Joja with all it's "wonder tools" come in to make my life easier. But then, when I stupidly agree to everything you're offering, I'll find out that, even with the best tools around – That is what you said, right? The best? - Well, even with those, there's still too much for just one man to do!" With one sweep of his arm the farmer indicated all that was his in a grand gesture. It caused him pain, but he would be damned if he let it show now. "That's where it all comes together, and you step in to save the poor farmer from himself; you bail me out by buying up my farm so I can cozy up and watch as you run it right into the ground." His eyes, at last, came to settle upon the shaking, anger-red man standing before him. "Just like the last time. And the one before that, and the one befo- Well... You get my point."

Morris sputtered and stammered, barely able to form the words to showcase his rage. "You- How dare yo- Such slander! I'll have you know that Jojama-"

"Save it." Asher yawned and donned a pair of sleepy eyes, as though at once this had become too much for him. "I think I've been polite long enough. Get off my land now – And take that piece of garbage over there with you." He gave a half-hearted nod towards the van as he made for the door.

"You dare!" Morris' hands had clenched tightly into fists and he nearly took a step forward until the farmer looked back his way. "You're going to rue the day you spit in my face; Joja will continue to thrive while this farmland ruins you!"

Standing in the doorway, Asher watched as the man turned on his heels and stomped back towards his van. He had no idea how Lewis would've reacted to the exchange, but at the moment the mayor's opinion was the furthest thing from his mind. The farmer had seen this before; Jojamart seemed to draw out the rampant fanaticism in people – So much so that they were fiercely loyal to the brand after mere weeks of being absorbed into the company. It was sickening. Morris all but tore open the door to the van and began to climb inside when Asher raised his hands to his mouth, forming a cup to carry his voice. "Hey, Morris!"

The man turned looked back, and for a moment the farmer could've sworn there was new hope in those eyes – Hope that, somehow, he'd managed to sway him after all. Asher's grin turned sick and twisted, and he offered a wave of but a single finger.

"FUCK JOJA!"

 **Author's Note: So... Hopefully THAT doesn't come back to bite Asher in the ass down the line? Man the guy can just be IMPULSIVE sometimes - And he's trying so damn hard to keep his crap together too! .o**


	12. Chapter 12: Prosperity

**Chapter 12: Prosperity**

The next morning began with the sound of a loud knock upon his door – One that caused Asher to all but leap from his bed. Instantly alert he listened again for the sound, wondering if perhaps he had dreamed it, but when the knock was repeated he made for his clothes. Hank sat atop the carefully folded pile, staring up at him and as he dressed the farmer couldn't help but avoid the Jumino's gaze – What could the creature be thinking? It never said a word – Never tried to communicate really – But when the work day had passed more then a dozen of the little buggers had curled up inside to sleep, move about, or watch TV until he'd turned the thing off.

 _'For whatever reason they really like the weather station...'_ He didn't understand that.

Finally, Asher made his way to the door, though even before he moved to open it he wished he had some manner with which to see his guest – The thing didn't even have a peep hole! What if he didn't WANT company? With a sigh and more then a little reluctance, he threw open the door. "Morning Asher!" It was mayor Lewis – And seeing him so early filled the farmer with dread.

Though he had felt nothing but pride in how he'd dealt with Morris, the farmer had already suspected he would pay for it later – There was little doubt the man would find some way to make trouble for him, and what better way then to sick the mayor on him? Lewis' bright smile didn't dissuade him from thinking such a thing; the man had a reason for being here.

Still... "Mornin'..." Asher stifled a yawn and glanced up at the sky – Didn't anyone in this town ever sleep? It was barely passed sunup – The farmer had a reason to be awake so early, but why the mayor? "You're here early."

With a nod, the older man gave a gesture to invite him outside; one which Asher was hesitant to accept. He glanced around, wondering if this was all some elaborate setup – His paranoia all but running him now – But when the boy saw no one else he at last stepped outside. "I've heard tell of an... Incident." The tone was a grave one – Asher sucked down a breath as he listened. "I wanted to get your side of the story."

 _'Barely a week and I'm already in trouble – That's a first!'_ Back in the city he was known for staying straight as an arrow – Right up until the night of the incident anyway. It had come as a shock to everyone when the news first hit; hell, he was still reeling from it all even now! "What is it?"

Lewis looked uncomfortable; it was clear the man wished no part of this. His gaze slipped down towards the deck. "I've been told there was trouble at the saloon a few nights ago – Something about a fight?" Asher slowly nodding along, registering the words. It explained why Lewis seemed so unsurprised at seeing him; his face had barely any time to heal yet – He probably still looked awful! "Clearly they weren't much exaggerated but... I'm a fair man. Tell me what happened?" A surprisingly stony look overcame him as he spoke. "I hope you won't expect me to believe it was nothing, given your... State."

Asher scoffed, though did his best to hide it – Was Lewis trying to lecture him now? For trying to _help_? _'Wait – He said FIGHT, not assault... Does he think I hit Pam?!'_ At once the boy began to panic; had word truly spread he'd struck a woman, and so quickly? _'No way; there were witnesses! I didn't do a damn thing!'_ Lewis watched him carefully, and the farmer realized he had to speak his mind. "Look Lewis..." Not a good way to begin. "I don't know what you've heard, but I never went there looking for a fight. Penny said she needed her mom to come home and the woman refused to budge. Now I never hit anybody – I just stood there and let her hit me until she tired herself out and went home; that's it." Somehow it sounded worse when he said it aloud, but it was the truth, dammit! "There's a whole bunch of people who can attest to that – Ask Gus or Emily! Hell, ask Penny!"

Fuck, what if it was Penny who'd reported him?!

The mayor, however, had already raised his hands. All of the scorn had vanished from his face and the man looked even more panicked then Asher did. "Easy now! Calm down Asher – I wasn't accusing you of startin' nothing I just..." He sighed, rubbing at his neck; the discomfort returned in full. "That's the same thing I heard too – I just wanted to be sure is all." His frown deepened and it was clear the next words were difficult to find. "I s'pose you're gonna want to lodge some kind of complaint or... Or file a charge against her?"

"What?!" Asher was flabbergasted – Was that what Lewis was here for?! "No! Nothing like that!" Lewis was all but flattened by the revelation; the surprise was clear and apparent upon his face. "Lewis, it's fine. Shit happens – I already talked to Penny about it and... Fuck, is _that_ what you were worried about?" The old man had nearly given him a heart attack for NOTHING!

"Well I..." Lewis flushed with embarrassment; he couldn't bare to match eyes with the young farmboy, "Well I had to check Asher... I mean, we don't have much in the way of law out here – If you wanted to follow up I'd have to call out a marshal or... Or someone from the city and..." He looked again; Asher was already shaking his head. "It's a relief to hear that though. Forgive and forget? Ol' Vernan would be proud of yah."

The last thing Asher wanted was cops poking around – Especially in regards to him. If they'd had to call anyone in – Anyone at all – He would have hopped the next bus out of town, heedless of destination. _'Dodged that bullet...'_ Still, now the whole situation felt all the worse for wear – He'd already managed to put it behind him, but now people were going out of their way to dredge it up again! The farmer sighed; was there a way to fix that? "It's fine Lewis... Really. This?" He poked towards his sore eye, "It'll heal. Alcohol does weird things to people, I get that."

Relieved, the mayor nodded his support. "I'm... Very happy to hear that. Really. The last thing I wanted is for you to feel unsafe here in our little town – From what the others have said you seem to be fitting in well enough, it's just that Pam she..." He looked towards the road, and Asher found himself turning to stare as well – Nobody was there, what was he looking for? "Ever since the bus broke down Pam's kind of shut down too. She just mopes around the saloon all the time drinking. I feel sorry for her."

"What does the bus have to do with her?" Wait, the bus was down? When had that happened?!

Lewis gave him a curious stare. "She was our driver – Didn't you know that? She was the one driving when you first arrived." The memory struck him in full; she was the woman who'd given him that weird stare on his first day – The one who'd snapped at him to get off the bus! "But with her machine on the fritz she doesn't have much else to occupy her so..." The man shrugged, seemingly at an end for what else to say.

The lack of a way out left him nervous, but Asher pushed the thought aside for now – He could mull over that later. To Lewis, he nodded his understanding, and it was enough for the mayor to return the gesture. Asher looked out beyond him - Out towards his field – And his eyes widened at the sight before him. _'Pierre was right!'_

Even from a distance the farmer could tell that the parsnips were ready – They jutted out of the ground, eager for his hand – And they looked bigger and fuller then any he had seen within the city's groceries. Lewis turned as well, and a bright smile overcame his dark exterior. "Well now... Isn't that something! Looks like it's time for your first harvest!"

The farmer gave a silent cheer for his success and returned inside just long enough to grab his bag. The only tools he left alone for now – With no new seeds to plant they would merely slow him down, and he could fix that problem after he met with Pierre. As Lewis watched, Asher hurried towards his prize and, with both hands pulled the first vegetable from the ground.

It was bigger then his fist! Asher knew little of vegetables – Parsnips especially – But everything looked right to his eyes. The color was bright and vibrant, the odor pleasant and alluring, and it had a good firmness to the touch. Not too hard, but not soggy or mushy like he had imagined either. Lewis nodded his approval from the deck, watching with a chuckle as the farmer dropped each new claim into his bag until the thing swelled with fullness.

He still had a few left over even after, and the a brief moment his good mood faltered – How was he supposed to carry all of this? "Need a ride into town?" Asked the mayor, already making his way to an old truck parked just near the road. He gestured with an open hand towards the empty passenger seat. "I'm sure Pierre and Gus will want to have a crack at such a haul – We can have breakfast while you wait for the store to open."

It was a kind gesture, and though Asher was loathe to accept anymore help, this was an offer too good to pass up. With a nod he loaded up his bag and whatever remaining parsnips he had into the back of the truck – Lewis even lent him a tarp to wrap up the looser ones remaining. After a few minutes to secure everything, they set off for the town; what had started as a gloomy, stressful morning had suddenly become almost perfect.

It was hours before Asher had found himself alone again, but for once he wasn't bothered by it. Both Pierre and Gus had met him in the general store – The latter being called by Lewis himself no less – And together they had settled on a fair deal for both this, as well as any future hauls that Asher grew. Pierre had claimed the bulk of the crops for his store while Gus took whatever remained – Asher, meanwhile, not only left with sizable amount of money for his troubles, but also a new assortment of seeds to grow going forward. He looked forward to that the most somehow.

This was almost _fun_.

The others remained in the store to talk shop as Asher left on his own – He was grateful to the men for their help and patronage, but really he wasn't in the mood to chat. He thumbed through the various seed packets as he walked, trying to envision in his head the best places to plant everything from the land already cleared – A lot of work was waiting for him back home now. _'Gonna need another scarecrow too... Maybe more!'_ The next ones would be better – They'd have to be if he didn't want Leah laughing at him again. Somehow that stung more then liked to admit.

Yet as he walked, he found himself drawn more and more to the world around him, and the farmer at last stopped to really take in his surroundings. It was still the early morning and yet the world already seemed to alive with life and colors; the trees and flowers were in full bloom just off the stony roads and the birds sang merrily whenever he cocked an ear to listen. This was truly a beautiful place. He looked about with a smile and stopped short as his eyes fell upon a tall tree.

Penny was seated just beneath, leaning up against the mighty oak pillar with her eyes glued to a book. He considered leaving her be, but his good mood wavered into his judgment and he approached nonetheless – Yet even as he came to stand over her she failed to recognize his presence. Asher gave her a moment, not wishing to frighten her, but when still she seemed unresponsive he shrugged and took a seat – Better to let her notice on her own then startle the poor girl.

Her nerves seemed to be shot already.

It was several long minutes before the girl snapped from her daze – Just as she went to turn the next page she caught sight of the man beside her. "Oh!" Her voice was barely above a squeak of surprise, and as she turned to look the farmer offered the smallest of waves. "Asher! How... How long have you been..?"

"Just now." He lied – Better to not make her feel bad; Penny would be the first to feel ashamed of indulging herself. Instead, he pointed at the piece in her hands. "Is that the same book as before?" He could barely remember what the last one even looked like – Let alone the name of it. He craned his head to see, but even that failed to trigger anything.

Yet she nodded anyway and looked longingly at the pages. "Yes I... I haven't had much time to myself lately... I thought I'd step away for a bit and... Well..." She seemed embarrassed but Asher nodded in understanding.

"You want me to..?" He thumbed over his shoulder, already making ready to rise if she wished.

But Penny surprised him with the shake of her head, "No, no, that's not... You don't have to. I wouldn't mind the company, really..." She looked at her watch, and the smile seemed to return to her, "I still have a bit of time before... Before I go to work."

At once the farmer realized that, for all the times he'd encountered the woman, he had no idea what she even did! He turned his head, looking her over more carefully and trying to guess before saying anything – What did he even know about Penny, really? She liked books, she was quiet, and her home life left much to be desired – What kind of job would a person like that even have? _'Didn't I see her with kids once?'_ He couldn't remember! "What kind of work do you do?"

She flushed; it was a cute look for her. "I... I'm a teacher... Sort of. We don't... Pelican Town doesn't really have a school per-se but..." The girl turned and looked on down the road, and Asher found himself following the gaze; he found himself staring at the mayor's large estate. "Children deserve an education, even out here... Don't you agree?"

For himself, Asher had always hated school – He'd found it boring and lacking, and the awful memories of dealing with people young and old came creeping back. He'd had awful teachers almost exclusively, with the few good ones stretched so few and far between that he could scarcely recall their names even now – No, school hadn't been for him at all. "I think so." He managed, wincing at his own hypocrisy. "I mean... It's not for everyone but..." He had to choose his words carefully; tact was key. "If there's not even an option then how are they supposed to know?"

To his relief, the girl nodded her head in quiet agreement. "There aren't many kids here but... That's fine. I sort of felt a little... Overwhelmed, I guess? I mean, when I taught before – It was a larger class then and I..." Her smile faded, and her brilliant eyes seemed almost to go with it. "I feel like I could have... I don't know – Done better? I could have been more attentive to each student..." Whatever had happened had effected her greatly – But Asher was at a loss; what was there to say? Penny sighed and slumped her shoulders before shaking her head – That determination returned just a little bit. "But... Out here I feel like..." She looked his way once more. "With so few it's... Easier, I think – Easier to make a difference."

"You care." His words surprised them both; Asher spoke without even considering what he said. "You actually care, don't you?" He was surprised; a teacher had always struck him as just a JOB before – It never occurred to him that there was a person with thoughts and feelings behind it. His own past experiences had clouded his judgments, and somewhere deep down he hated himself for it. The frown deepened on his face and he tried to wish it away. "That's... Surprising – To me at least. I don't remember my teachers really caring that much when I was a kid, but listening to you is..." He looked away and found the sky an irresistible target. "It makes me think I was wrong."

Penny placed a gentle hand upon his shoulder, causing him to turn. "All teachers care. I mean, I like to think that they do. Maybe... Maybe they lose something along the way, like their drive or... Or their love but..." She spoke slowly and calmly, like every word was meant to impart some secret wisdom – Asher found himself eager to hear the next as she went on. "The caring is there, in it's own way. I'm sure of it."

Somehow he believed it, though for the life of him he knew not why. It felt strange to suddenly have a new perspective on things he hadn't thought about in years, but also uplifting – It was a rare thing for him not to be angry and being wrong. Asher welcomed the feeling, and he nodded at her words. "Something tells me you've got some lucky students."

Penny reddened at that, and she quickly turned away – Shaking her head in disbelief at the statement. Asher too, after realizing the brazenness of his words looked awkwardly at the ground. They sat in silence for several minutes before, after looking back towards him, Penny dared to break it. "What... What do you have there?" She pointed towards his hands, and the farmer realized he still held the packets. "Seeds?"

With a nod, the farmer handed over the items for her to see. "For the farm, yeah. I somehow didn't screw up my first crops so... Time to celebrate with more work? I guess?" He blinked in surprise at the stupidity of his own words; why did he talk? Why did he ever think it was a good idea to talk? Wincing, he tried again. "I decided to try a little bit of everything this time. See what happens."

With a nod, the girl thumbed through the various packets, smiling as she did. "I think it must be lovely to live on a farm..." She said, almost whimsically. "Everyday with a new purpose, a nice home and that feeling of going to bed with a sense of... Accomplishment." The smile practically beamed from her as she spoke – Penny returned the packets, but the farmer only continued to stare. "The fresh fruit would be nice too."

Yet all he held was vegetables. Asher reached back to place them in his bag. "I... I think Pierre said I should aim for more fruit during the summer... Easier to grow, or something?" In truth, he wasn't sure, but he felt compelled to try anyway. "If these grow well I'll have to try to get more land squared away for next month."

"Well if you... If you happen to grow any melons during the summer, could I..." She bit her lip as if uncertain, but it seemed only to add to her charm. "Could I trouble you to... To save one, perhaps?"

Asher was quick to nod; it seemed like such a small, simple favor – And somehow it felt wrong to refuse her. The girl endured so much thanks to her mother, and he had barely begun to scratch at the surface. _'Besides; it's ONE melon – Whoopty do!'_ Asher slung his bag over his shoulder once more. "Yeah, that's no problem. I mean, provided I don't screw anything up growing them."

His words made her all the happier. "Oh thank you Asher; they're just... They're my favorite and..." She shook her head, "Just... Thank you. Really." Her gaze slipped down to her watch, and at once the woman climbed to her feet. Seeing this, Asher did the same, but Penny awkwardly looked away. "I... It's time for me to go. The children are waiting and..."

The farmer gently stepped to one side. Though he hadn't a clue where specifically she needed to go, the gesture was clear. He offered a small parting smile. "Don't let me interrupt; work is work. It's important." It was all the encouragement she needed, and with a grateful smile Penny took her leave of him, offering a small wave and goodbye before heading off down the street. He stood there, watching her as she walked away as a light sigh seemed almost to escape him. _'What are you even doing anymore Asher..?'_

"Oh, Asher!" A new voice called from just behind him, all but startling the man and causing him to jump. "What are you doing?"

He turned to face her, and found Leah watching with a curious stare. As always, she held her precious basket in hand, but her look of wonder turned to worry and concern the moment he looked her way. She nearly dropped the wicker piece as shock overtook her. "Oh my goodness! What..." She reached for his face but, realizing herself, quickly pulled back and touched at her own. "What happened to.. To your eye? To _you_?"

 _'I swear, gossip in this town is as inconsistent as it is unwelcome...'_ Asher only sighed anew. Shoulders slumped he leaned heavily against the tree and stared back lazily at the girl. "Honestly Leah?" A tired smile settled in upon his features. "It's a _long_ story..."

 **Author's Note: Oh Asher, what are you even getting yourself into here..? ^.~**


	13. Chapter 13: The Artist & The Fighter

**Chapter 13: The Artist & The Fighter**

Leah was silent throughout the explanation, and though Asher was loathe to relive the experience even one more time, he was sure he had left nothing out by the end of it. The farmer had even gone so far as to include Lewis' visit in the tale, though for the life of him he wasn't sure why. Here and there the woman nodded, signifying her attention had not wavered, and by the story's end Asher realized they had walked quite a ways while he talked.

Hell, the weren't too far from Rasmodius' tower now.

"That's... Geez..." Leah seemed at a lost, shaking her head as she walked alongside him. Asher looked about; why had they kept walking, anyway? "I knew Pam had a temper but still..." She gave him a curious stare, "I'm surprised you're not angrier about the whole thing – I sure would be."

To that, the farmer could only shrug. "It happens. It's kind of why I don't drink – Or don't drink often, anyway." Even after the incident he'd only had one or two – And even then neither Gus nor Emily would let him pay. Only the promise of a full workday ahead of him had coaxed him into returning home as early as he had. "Besides, I barely feel it anymore."

Without a word Leah looked him over once more, before punching him hard in the arm. Asher reeled back a step, taken by surprise and clutched at his hurt while he winced in pain. In disbelief he only stared as Leah adopted a smug smirk and shook her head, as if she had somehow won an argument without even saying a word. "I..." He barely managed, before his surprise turned to raw anger. "Why... Why would you do that?!"

In turn, she leaned in close – Close enough that her nose nearly pushed against his own; whatever satisfaction she had felt for hitting him had suddenly turned to frustration; it was enough to make him back down. "I don't much like it when my friends lie right to my face like that. If you're hurt, you're hurt Asher – Don't pull that tough guy crap with me so I won't worry; I hate that!" So saying, the woman stomped her foot indignantly upon the ground and stood tall before him; the sight made him want to shirk back even further. Her features softened, and he breathed a small sigh of relief as she looked downcast. "I mean... I'm sorry but... Look, just don't do _that_ , okay? I hate being lied to, and I want you to trust me – Especially if it's something stupid like this..."

Dumbfounded, Asher nodded; how had the situation come to this so quickly? He rubbed at his arm, but found he lacked the words to say anything back to her – What was there to say anyway? Leah too, looked just as uneasy, and she stared back at him as though waiting for the boy to be the one to break the awkward silence. Asher took a breath, and spoke his mind. "Sorry." He tried, forcing a weak smile, "I didn't mean to make you punch me, I guess?"

She giggled, shedding off whatever hesitation that might've gripped her. "Keep that up and I'll do it again!" Leah looked around them both as an idea suddenly overtook her – Her eyes widened in new delight. "Hey, do you want to see something cool?"

Truthfully, all Asher wanted to do was go home and get started on his work – But somehow upsetting the girl seemed the most unwise decision he could make now. Though Leah seemed to have only the best of intentions, she could be tough when she wanted to be. The farmer felt at odds with himself; was it even right to refuse after he'd gone an upset her, or was this the time to put his own foot down and head back home? _'The farmer isn't going anywhere you idiot; just play along for now.'_

"Sure, what is it?"

Leah's smile brightened all the more and she eagerly waved for him to follow after her. They walked only a small distance before arriving before a small cottage. It looked worn and weathered, with noticeable growth left unattended all around it and a simple stone path leading to the front door. To Asher, it looked but a few steps shy of abandoned, but somehow he found the tact to hold his tongue. Already his mind had given him an answer, but as Leah withdrew a key and unlocked the door with a practiced hand any doubts that this was her home were quickly washed away. "In here." She told him, waving him inside before disappearing into the house.

The interior was everything Asher would've expected from an artist; materials of every kind were scattered about the floor, ranging from different paints to bits of wood, to even blank canvas boards awaiting Leah's careful hand. The farmer looked about; her bed was disheveled and unmade, as though it had only recently been vacated, and her clothing was strewn about the room with reckless abandon – It was enough to make him wonder if she owned a dresser, but just as quickly his attention was shifted to focus upon an odd piece in the center of the room.

Leah stood by it proudly, as if awaiting his approval. _'It must be her sculpture.'_ He realized, eyeing the piece more critically as he approached. It was composed of wood, from top to bottom, twisted about as though it had been mangled by some gargantuan beast. Despite it's shape the wood had been rubbed and groomed to a polished sheen – It was clear even to his untrained eye that the girl had worked painstaking to make even the plain lumber shine brilliantly.

"So..." Leah stood with her hands behind her back, rocking back and forth on her feet as if the anticipation threatened her very being. "What do you think..?"

 _'Do not fuck this up Asher – You'll crush her if you say the wrong thing.'_ The girl had worked painstakingly on this for... Hell, he didn't even know! He had to choose his words carefully here, but what could he say? Asher didn't even know what it was supposed to be! _'She'll know if I'm not being genuine too... Somehow women always know...'_ He looked closer, nodding his silent approval as he considered how best to explain his thoughts; even if he couldn't figure out the point of it all, there was still something entrancing about the piece. "It's... Unique." Her smile seemed almost to fade at the transparent comment but Asher continued to speak before she could feel any further disappointment. "I mean that; I've never seen anything like this before. It shows a lot of heart and..." He risked a glance in her direction; Leah seemed to be hanging on his every word. Asher pointed to the tallest piece of wood in the sculpture's center. "Right here, I've never seen wood so polished or cared for; how long did that take?"

The words brought a crimson redness to her cheeks and with a simple nod Leah followed the gesture. "Weeks... I mean, it feels like it took forever but... But that part took the longest by far..." She ran a hand along the sculpture, and through her the farmer could feel an intense feeling of pride. He allowed himself another quick glance around her home; though the art supplies were of some nice quality, it seemed the rest of the cottage had fallen out of sorts – Everything looked in need of some level of repair. "I just... I'm glad you like it... I worked so hard on it and..."

"What now?" Asher asked suddenly, catching her by surprise. She gave him a curious stare, and he nodded towards the statue. "I mean... Pelican Town isn't really big so... How do you propose to sell it?"

Leah gasped. "Sell it?!" Her words seemed almost to echo around the small house, and the embarrassment she felt seemed almost to magnify tenfold upon her face. She looked with uncertainty back towards her creation. "I... I mean... Do you think I should? Do you think I _COULD_? What if..." She trailed off, as though the rest of the words were too painful to even speak aloud.

With an incredulous look, Asher crossed his arms. "Well I mean... That's what you do, isn't it? You make art and then sell it?" His words rang out as crass even to his own ears and quickly the farmer raced to correct himself. "I mean... Sorry; what I meant was, now that it's done, that's the next logical step, right? You sell your art so that you can buy more supplies to make even bigger and better things next time!"

Sadly, the girl nodded along, but when she looked at him again all the joy had vanished from her face. "You're right... I mean... Yeah, of course you're right but... Asher I..." She sighed, slumping her shoulders. "I've never sold _ANYTHING_ before... How do I... What if they don't..." She looked on the verge of losing herself, and before he could stop himself, Asher took her by the shoulders and gave the girl a firm shake.

"Hey!" His voice seemed to bring her back to reality, and with a stern gaze he locked her eyes in his own. "Knock that off, alright? You can do this – You SHOULD do this! This piece right here?" He nodded towards the sculpture. "Anybody would be lucky to have this in their home – Hell it'd certainly brighten up my shack."

"How am I..."

He wasn't going to let her decline – This was too important; Leah _needed_ this. "Leah, do you think I have _any_ idea how to work a farm? Or grow things, or... Or – Shit, _anything_? I've literally been guessing just about every day I've been here for but this... This is art – And you KNOW art!" He smiled through the admission, trying to rouse her spirits anew. "If you're worried about details just... I dunno, talk to Lewis. See if you can hold some kind of show in the center of town – There's all that space, and it's surrounded by nature; a sculpture like this would look great there!" His gaze fell around the room, and for every piece left unfinished or barely started, Leah had two or three more completed and ready to go – She had been preparing for such an event for a long time.

She just didn't know it yet.

Finally, she pulled away and held her arm at her side. Leah looked with uncertainty at the floor for a good, long while before her eyes trailed up towards her newest creation and held there for several minutes. "Do you... Do you really think they'd sell? _**Really**_?"

Asher didn't answer right away; it would sound like a lie if he did. Instead, he wandered to one side and lifted up a painting Leah had finished some time ago. It displayed a pair of sheep, one big one small, frolicking through an open field with flowers scattered about every which way , and the mass of colors from each was a great offset to the fluffy white wool. "I know so." He said with confidence. "You've got talent Leah; you need to stop hoarding it all to yourself though."

The words touched her and she fell silent again. Leah moved towards the bed and took a seat upon it, her eyes glued to her lap. Asher returned the painting, careful not to damage it upon the floor before moving to stand before her. He decided against speaking any further, and instead watched until Leah felt comfortable to say anything to break the silence.

Several long minutes passed between the two before at last the girl looked up at him. "I... I need some time to think about it... It's a big decision, you know?" Asher nodded, already understanding. Leah had only brought him here to show off her sculpture, but somehow it had turned into so much more – There was little doubt she'd have much to consider for sometime going forward. The farmer offered a reassuring smile before making for the door when Leah spoke up again. "Asher I... Thanks. I mean it. I'm glad you liked the sculpture but... It means so much that you believe in me."

The farmer only nodded, flashing the girl a thumbs up before heading outside. He stood alone, pondering all that had just transpired, but somehow one thought more then any other bubbled to the surface. _'She called me her friend...'_ It was a nice thought, but somehow he didn't feel any better thinking about it. _'If she knew the truth she wouldn't want anything to do with me...'_

The walk back to the farm was a quiet one. Asher did everything he could to stave them off, but the troublesome thoughts of his past seemed to haunt him at every turn – It was almost a relief when he discovered a trespasser on his land.

"Can I... Help..." The farmer stopped short as he took in the sight before him; there was a girl standing knee-deep in the festering weeds holding tight to a sword with both hands. It was all Asher could do to realize he wasn't dreaming – That was an honest to goodness SWORD; it was like something out of a video game! The girl turned, surprised at his sudden presence – It was Abigail! Asher struggled to keep his composure, and raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're... Pierre's daughter, right? I think I saw you in his store once..." His eyes kept darting to the blade – She seemed to be struggling even to hold it properly but that came as little surprise; the damned thing was nearly as long as she was tall!

The girl flushed with embarrassment, and was quick to hide the blade behind her back. It surprised him all the more she didn't simply hurt herself. She looked around nervously, as though more onlookers might appear at any second, but when she realized that Asher was alone, her attention returned solely to him. "I... Yeah, that's... Look, just don't tell anyone, alright?"

The request baffled him; Asher turned his head and let the confusion show. "Tell anyone... What, exactly?" His eyes trailed again to the weapon, and slowly he began to understood. "Oh, the sword?"

Despite herself, Abigail turned up her nose at him. "Yes, the sword – What else?"

 _'She's got spunk – I'll give her that.'_ It was weird to think of her as immature even despite that, especially when she looked barely a year younger then he was. _'Oh god, am I getting old? What is this farm doing to me?'_ The panic rose anew within him, but Asher quickly shook it away – There would be plenty of time to deal with that later. Instead, the farmer looked down into the grass for a moment, before giving a nod towards his cottage. "Look, I don't know what you're doing out here, and I've got work to do." She looked hopeful for a moment, but he knew his next words would be less to her liking. "So why don't you explain this whole... Whatever it is and I'll try to keep it to myself." He gave her no time to consider and started off towards his home.

It wasn't long before she started trailing after him, and quickly Abigail moved to keep up by his side. She gave him a scowl, but otherwise said nothing until he looked at her. "So..." Again, his eyes became glued to the weapon, which even now she clung to with both hands. It's pointed tip veered unerringly towards the ground time and again with each step she took. "Let's hear it."

She sighed audibly, as though he were little more then an unruly parent – Asher had to stifle a laugh. "I just... I used to come here all the time and... I dunno... Practice."

"Practice?"

Abigail nodded, and took a firmer grasp on her sword. "Yeah. I'm not... I mean, I want to get better with... Well, this." The weapon bobbed up as though of it's own accord. "And I figured that just because someone had moved in here didn't... I mean, I wasn't going to be out here that long or anything so..." She trailed off, again and again, until she stopped entirely and glared coldly in his direction. "You're not gonna say anything, are you?"

Asher ignored the question, and as he climbed the stairs to his deck he gave her only a sidelong look. "Wait there." He told her before heading inside – He needed his tools. They took only a briefest of moments to retrieve before he returned outside. Abigail hadn't moved – She couldn't, he realized, until he'd given his word to keep her secret. The farmer moved passed her, returning to the area around his lone scarecrow and starting work on his planting. "You still haven't explained _what_ , exactly, you're practicing." He didn't look up as he spoke; this was too important to delay – The farm lived or died by his effort. "What would anyone need a sword for in this day and age?"

There were better weapons to consider, for one thing – Though he was loathe to add that.

The lavender-haired youth moved to the side of his home and leaned up against the wall – She seemed hesitant to tell him anymore, but caught like she was she truly lacked any decision in the matter. Biting her lip, she looked at the ground around her feet. "I'm training for... For the mines. I want to join the guild and... Well... Unless I get better with this thing they'll never let me in." She waved dismissively out towards the still-untouched farmland. "Nobody really comes out here so... I figured this was the best place to train. It used to be, anyway, before..." She stopped short and finally Asher looked at her – He smirked bitterly.

"Before someone had to ruin things by moving in?"

In a huff, Abigail puffed out her cheeks and looked away again. "That's not what I... Oh, whatever!" It was almost cute; the act added much to her lacking charm.

Asher leaned on the hoe for a moment, looking up at the sky as he processed her words more carefully. "What's this about a mine? And a guild?" Lewis hadn't said much about either – If, indeed, he'd even bothered to speak of them at all – And Asher didn't trust his imagination to fill in the blanks properly at all. Already he was painting a picture more bizarre then anything Leah could have dreamed up.

Yet the truth seemed to fall right into place with that. "There's monsters in the mines – Up north of Robin's place. Didn't you know that?" She seemed surprised, especially when the farmer shook his head. "Yeah it's... Well, I mean, it's safe. The Guild is right there, housed outside the cavern that leads inside, and it's not like the monsters ever leave but..." She shook her head, still in disbelief. "How could you not know about this stuff? Didn't Lewis tell you _anything_?!"

 _'Honestly this sounds like a crock...'_ The farmer kept his doubts to himself however; there were people he could ask about this later. Surely Lewis would come clean once confronted or – If not – Maybe Gus or Emily? Half their profession was gossip and talk; they had to know something about all of this! For now, Asher shrugged his shoulders. "So, you're practicing to fight monsters by... What, exactly?" He looked out into the fields for a moment before returning to his work. "I'm not sure how much fight a few branches and rocks can put up..."

The words were meant to jab, but Abigail held stronger then he would have guessed. She huffed once more, blowing up her bangs with an indignant puff of air before turning her head. "I should have guessed you wouldn't understand – You're just the same as my dad, aren't you? You think I'm some kind of joke."

"Hold on a minute." Asher's words practically sprang from him – He didn't care much for being accused of anything – Let alone his opinions. He turned to replace to hoe for the watering can before giving her a cold stare. "Now I didn't say that, did I? If you're going to give me a half-assed explanation about this practice of yours, don't get all pissy when I misinterpret something." He knelt to water the crops – They'd taken up less room then he would have guessed but it all looked too much for one scarecrow to handle. After Abigail finally left he'd need to make another. "Truth be told if you're serious about... I don't know – What does the Guild do anyway? Fight monsters I guess?" The girl nodded quietly in response. "Well if you're serious about being apart of that, at least you're not being stupid about it. From the looks of it that sword's a bit heavy for you so..." He made a face, unsure if he wanted to risk another assumption with her. "I guess you're trying to get used to the weight, or something?"

Quiet for a moment, Abigail eventually nodded. She looked shyly down at the weapon in her hands and finally consented to letting it rest up alongside the building beside her. "It's... The only one I could get. Marlon – The, uh... The guy who runs the Guild – He said if I could learn to swing it properly he'd give me a shot at fighting a real monster but..." She made a face; not a nice one. "It's really heavy, you know?"

Asher stood again and eyed the piece more carefully. It looked old and worn, but still sharp even despite that – It had weathered many a use, and that was something even his untrained eye could tell. Still, it looked to big for Abigail to ever wield properly – Hell he doubted _he_ could swing it without mishap! _'Maybe that's the point; maybe Marlon's trying to deter her from coming back...'_ But if that was the man's goal, it had somehow turned against him; he doubted this was the first time Abigail had snuck out here to train, and regardless of what he did about things, it would likely not be the last.

Then, where did that leave him?

"How long have you been practicing?"

The question took her by surprise; Abigail stared wide-eyed for but a moment before she managed a quiet reply. "A few... Months, I guess? I got the sword last Fall so..." Asher nodded along; this was clearly important to her, but despite that she didn't want anyone to know. Something felt off about that, but it wasn't his place to judge – At least, not yet. The farmer looked about, eyeing the rest of his land that stretched out farther each time he gazed upon it.

"It's... Probably not an issue if you want to keep training here... Provided you don't hit any of my crops, that is." The girl gasped in surprise, and the farmer looked back her way. "Or the house. Just don't break any of my stuff, you know?" He didn't want people poking around his place – Not if he could help it anyway – But ratting her out would only make the girl spiteful and bitter, and Asher wasn't looking to make enemies. Hell, if he went along with her little practice sessions, maybe he could better steer her away from the things he didn't want her to find. _'Like that phone I buried... That'd require some kind of explanation...'_

Abigail looked on the verge of excitement, yet doubt seemed to hold her back. She stared at him with a critical eye, judging the boy up and down. "Why... Why would you do that? You don't have to and... I mean, you don't even know me. Why would you want to help with this?"

To that, Asher could only shrug. He reached for the axe; he was going to need wood for his new scarecrow. "I figure you'll do it regardless of what I say anyway and... Well, I'll be honest with you." He offered a small wink of encouragement. "I know what it's like to do things people don't really approve of." His mind practically screamed at him; did he just take PRIDE in his past?! _'I'm going to hell – Shut up, I know I am. Get off my back for five seconds...'_

But Abigail took the gesture for what it was, and nodded her appreciation. All the scorn and doubt seemed to vanish, and a sweet smile he wouldn't have thought her capable of replaced them both with earnest. "Then... Thanks, I guess. Really I..." She made a face; it was less hostile then before. "Geez, I don't think I even know your name come to think of it." She stepped forward and offered a hand; Asher looked down at her. She was a skinny sort of thing, with pale skin – A detail he'd somehow missed up until now. In truth, she was probably a shut in before this; maybe too many video games had gotten to her and pushed her down this path? The farmer shook her hand regardless. "I'm Abigail, by the way."

"Asher." He looked passed her and eyed the sword once more. "Out of curiosity, where have you been keeping that thing? I can't imagine you'd risk dragging it home if you're trying to keep it a secret."

At the question Abigail flushed, shirking up her shoulders as though a great lie had come crashing down upon her. "I... There's this... There's a small graveyard near the center of town; only a few people really go there so I... I kind of hide it in the bushes there..."

"That's stupid." He replied – More bluntly then he'd actually intended. Her surprise turned to hurtful shock and he quickly scrambled to make amends. "I mean – What if someone found it? Don't kinds walk that road sometimes too? It'd be bad if someone stumbled upon it one day... Why not keep it here?" Crap, now he was stuck. Asher sighed, and pointed near the house. "You can... I don't know, leave it up on the deck or something? I could clear a spot beside the woodpile there, so only you would know where it was and... I don't know, you're gonna be using it here anyway, right?"

It made sense; that was the part that irked him the most.

But to Abigail it seemed right as well; she nodded eagerly, quickly signalling her agreement before turning to retrieve the weapon. Asher waved her off, already looking up towards the sky. "Just... Leave it there. I'll put it away before I turn in; it's getting late, isn't it?" Around them, the sky had already darkened some, and he still had a lot of work to do. Scarecrows didn't exactly build themselves, after all. "You should get home. If someone comes looking for you, you'll have more to explain then just the sword, you know?"

Abigail looked at him again, but this time was different. It were as though she were seeing him for the first time; he almost reddened at the gaze. Finally, she nodded and smiled anew. "I will then. Thanks... Asher." She offered a small wave before rushing off down the road, leaving the farmboy alone with his thoughts... And a sword.

Fantastic. Alone now, Asher allowed himself a small sigh. "How do I... How does this keep happening to me?" Was being left alone too much to ask for? Or was he only digging himself in deeper? _'Now you're keeping secrets – And you KNOW that meant Pierre. It's a good thing you're already a good liar or else...'_ He didn't need to finish the thought; everything already hinged on his ability to keep up a facade.

Really, what was _one_ more lie on top of dozens of others?

 **Author's Note: Y'all didn't think Abigail was gone forever did you? :3**


End file.
